Research Computing Systems Engineer

We are searching for a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system administrator to join the Structural Mechanics Division at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. You will work with our team of scientists and engineers to develop and advance our nation’s defense capabilities. This position offers broad opportunities for professional growth, including exposure to a range of existing HPC implementations—both in-house and at leading institutions—as well as hands‑on involvement in all aspects of HPC administration, from system design to working directly with end-users to resolve computational performance issues.

ARL is an authorized DoD Skill Bridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

• Maintain existing HPC systems by ensuring compute node and storage availability to end‑users
• Develop and deploy various scripts to monitor system health and assess system usage
• Maintain system firmware and software revisions, including operating system upgrades, updates, and patches
• Perform component and system diagnostics to resolve hardware failures
• Work with users and hardware vendors to identify and procure components for both existing and new systems
• Monitor system performance and usage levels and work with team members to resolve immediate and anticipated future issues

• Extensive experience with Linux operating systems (especially RHEL), networking, parallel file systems, and security
• Experience collaborating in multi-disciplinary, team-oriented cultures
• A demonstrated track record of setting and meeting goals
• Effective diagnostic and problem‑solving skills
• Expertise with scripting languages (e.g., bash, python, perl), batch schedulers (e.g., Slurm, Torque, PBS), and configuration management tools (e.g., Puppet, Chef, Ansible, Salt)
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret/Top Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required

The position’s working location will be fully on‑site located in State College, PA. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
• Required

Certifications:

None

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. All positions at ARL require candidates to possess the ability to obtain a government security clearance; you will be notified during the interview process if this position is subject to a government background investigation. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with the ARL will require successful completion of a pre‑employment drug screen.

The salary range for this position is $86,300.00 – $. Pennsylvania Act of 1988 and Clery Act disclosures are available at Penn State’s website. Salary structure and benefits information is available on Penn State’s website. Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees designed to support both personal and professional well‑being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation, and sick time.

One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814‑865‑1473.