Vassar College Looking for Systems Administrator for High Performance Computing Full Time

Department: Computing & Information Services
Duration of Position: Full year / Full time
Work Schedule:
Employee Type: Administrator
Posting Date: 03/08/2024
Union Representation: Not Applicable
Posting Number: AS467P
Pay Rate:
Compensation: The starting annual base salary range for this position is $74,300 to $96,600 (USD).

When extending an offer, Vassar College considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidates work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, budget, and other market and organizational considerations. The starting salary range represents the Colleges good faith and reasonable estimate at the time of posting.

About Vassar College
Located in the scenic Mid-Hudson Valley, Vassar College is a highly selective, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. Vassar stands upon the homelands of the Munsee Lenape.Vassar College is deeply committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and to promoting an environment of equality, inclusion, and respect for difference. The College is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer, and especially welcomes applications from veterans, women, individuals with disabilities, and members of racial, ethnic, and other historically underrepresented groups.Vassar College is a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus.Vassar College offers a comprehensive benefits package for administrators which includes:22 vacation days for full time employees – prorated if not full time, unlimited paid personal and sick time for use at the supervisors approval.14 paid holidays per year which includes the week between Christmas and New Years Day.A choice of three health plans (EPO, PPO, High Deductible), Participation in FSA, Dependent Care, and Transit programs.Voluntary, employee paid dental insurance plan.Life Insurance and Voluntary Supplemental Life InsuranceEmployer paid short-term and long-term disability programs.403(b) defined contribution plan after one year of service. For more information, visit: https://offices.vassar.edu/human-resources/benefits-and-wellness/retirement/New hires will be automatically enrolled in the SRA at a 4% employee contribution per paycheck.Tuition Benefits- Eligible after applicable waiting period. For more information, visit: https://offices.vassar.edu/human-resources/benefits-and-wellness/tuition/

Position Summary and Responsibilities
The Systems Administrator for High Performance Computing at Vassar College is a critical role that is responsible for managing and optimizing the high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and ensuring the efficient and secure management of research data and storage. The role involves collaborating with researchers, faculty, and students to enable cutting-edge projects while maintaining the integrity and accessibility of research data.
The Systems Administrator for High Performance Computing at Vassar College reports to the Assistant Director of Systems within Computing & Information Services and will work as a collaborative member of the Enterprise Systems team to ensure operational continuity and support for HPC, Data Science, and other research-related computing and storage solutions. Computing & Information Services engages in cooperative efforts with the ACCAS Steering Committee, the Data Science & Society (DSS) Steering Committee, and various other academic departments to identify and implement priorities related to research computing
Responsibilities:

• Administer and maintain HPC clusters, including hardware and software, to ensure high performance and availability. Provide system administration for the servers of certain research applications systems, such as RStudio.
• Implement data security measures, backups, and data retention policies in compliance with college regulations. Ensure the security and compliance of HPC systems and research data with college policies, funding agency requirements, and relevant regulations
• Monitor system performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement performance improvements.
• Collaborate with vendors for procurement, installation, and upgrades of HPC systems. Generate reports on system usage, performance metrics, and data management.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with academic departments to raise awareness around the research computing services CIS provides. Identify opportunities to work together on funding proposals with Vassar faculty and colleagues from outside organizations.
• Collaborate with unit leaders and stakeholders to analyze business needs to define an architectural strategy. Consult with individual faculty members to recommend, and help configure, the most appropriate HPC platform for their needs, whether that be on-premises HPC, AWS, ACCESS, or other.
• Provide expert technical support to researchers, faculty, and students in utilizing HPC resources effectively for research projects. Collaborate with multidisciplinary research teams on projects that require HPC resources and effective data management. Assist in data management planning and best practices for research projects. Work with researchers to develop data management plans, ensuring proper data organization and documentation.
• Conduct training sessions and workshops on HPC best practices, parallel computing, and research data management. Create and maintain documentation on HPC systems, data management processes, best practices, and troubleshooting guides.
• Participate in and provide updates to the ACCAS Steering Committee, the Data Science & Society Steering Committee, and, as needed the Committee on Academic Technology.
• Stay updated on the latest security best practices in HPC and data management. Attend conferences and workshops relevant to HPC, advance skills, and stay current with emerging HPC technologies and trends; develop and maintain external contacts at institutions having similar HPC requirements and solutions.
• As a vital part of the systems team, this position will share in the administration, management, and support activities associated with the IT infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or higher preferred
• Experience in high-performance computing and parallel processing.
• Familiarity with programming languages (e.g., C/C++, Fortran, Python) used in scientific and research computing.
• Experience with Storage Area Networks (SANs) and managing storage arrays to efficiently store and retrieve data.
• Understanding of networking principles, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, and firewall configurations.
• Familiarity with scientific and research software commonly used in academic settings.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for collaborating with diverse academic communities.
• In-depth knowledge of research data management principles and best practices.
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Demonstrated success working collaboratively within teams and across organizations.

Special Instructions to Applicants
To complete your on-line application, you will be required to attach your resume, cover letter, and contact information for 3 professional references. All attachments must be in PDF format. Review of applications will begin immediately. If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources, 845-437-5820.

For full consideration applicants should apply by:

All applicants must apply online at: https://employment.vassar.edu/postings/3766.

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