HPC Engineer

Requisition Id 15784 

­­Overview:  

The National Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is responsible for providing computational resources at extreme scales for science. NCCS is home to some of the fastest supercomputers and storage systems in the world including Frontier, the first supercomputer to break the exascale barrier and Orion, a 700 petabyte Lustre parallel file system. NCCS serves multiple agencies including DOE, NOAA, and the Air Force. The NCCS also supports the center’s Quantum Computing User Program (QCUP) which provides access to state-of-the-art quantum computing resources.

The Team:

The NCCS User Assistance (UA) Group provides technical support to the center’s advanced computing resources including high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence, and quantum, generates documentation about NCCS systems, and develops and delivers training to users of the center’s resources. NCCS staff members are also responsible for developing tools and technical solutions for users of these resources. NCCS HPC engineers also serve as ambassadors for users of these resources and the rest of the organization.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

The role comprises the following primary functions:

• Take technical ownership of user reported problems and provide hands-on support for scientific applications and libraries and users of high-performance computing, clusters, artificial intelligence, quantum, and other advanced computing resources.
• Compile and debug large science and engineering applications.
• Identify and resolve system-level bugs in conjunction with other technical staff.
• Work with vendors to resolve issues and implement changes as necessary.
• Install third-party software applications and tools and provide documentation for usage.
• Develop and execute system tests to ensure newly deployed systems can support user workloads.
• Proactively ensure that users have up-to-date information about the system, including any changes and their impact on the users. User Assistance staff are very involved in researching and developing documentation and reference material during system early-use and upgrade phases, as well as maintaining them throughout system operation.
• Participate in the development, maintenance, and delivery of training and outreach materials to users.
• Respond to general administrative questions (e.g., system status, requests for special accommodation, etc)
• Implement special projects as requested (e.g., metrics, cyber security, policy discussions).
• Actively participate and advocate for users during planning of system configuration, policy creation, outages, and other user impacting events.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in computer science or related field or equivalent experience with 5 years of experience, MS Degree with 4 years of experience, or a PhD
• Experience providing user support
• Requires practical experience with multiple programming languages and technologies including several of the following:

• Fortran
• C
• C++
• Perl
• Python
• Shell scripting (e.g., bash, ksh, etc.) in a Linux or Unix environment

Desired Experience/Skills:

• Experience building and installing scientific software and other 3rd party software applications on HPC systems
• Experience with HPC schedulers and resource managers
• Experience executing scientific software on HPC systems
• Experience writing user documentation
• Experience developing and delivering training for users
• Strong technical and analytical skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Maintains the highest level of professionalism at all times when interacting with internal and external customers
• Demonstrates a high-energy, positive attitude and commitment to quality customer service
• Contributes to a positive team environment within the center by demonstrating a strong work ethic, effectively communicating with others, and proactively anticipating center and user needs
• Experience coordinating and running support teams
• Understanding of the requirements of a DOE, DoD, and/or NSF HPC center

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required.  Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation.  This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year.  This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment.  Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.  

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov 

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.