Department

BSD CRI - Scientific Computing

About the Department

The University of Chicago biomedical enterprise houses three entities: The Biological Sciences Division (BSD), the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM), and the Pritzker School of Medicine. Collectively called UCM, we are one of the nation's leading academic medical institutions and have been at the forefront of discovery, education, and clinical care since 1927. Located 20 minutes south of downtown Chicago, our Hyde Park main campus provides a single environment for learning, world-renowned basic science and clinical research, and outstanding clinical care.

The BSD is the largest academic unit within the University. The BSD is comprised of faculty from ten basic science departments, 13 clinical departments, and several Centers and Institutes. The approximately 1,300 faculty and 3,000 staff members working in the BSD collaborate across the organization to achieve our Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV):

MISSION: As part of the University of Chicago, we pursue globally impactful solutions to seemingly unsolvable challenges. Through our rigorous research, innovative education, and comprehensive care and healing, we collaborate on life-changing advancements that create meaningful results for our community and the world, including a greater, more equitable future for all.

VISION: Together, we elevate the human experience with knowledge and health care.

VALUES:
• Commit to Excellence: We contribute our exceptional talents to all we do and empower the same spirit of excellence in others.
• Embrace Curiosity: We stay open to new ideas, champion diverse perspectives, and drive a culture of thoughtful risk-taking to deliver transformative innovation.
• Embody Equity: We identify systemic issues and then foster change to drive a more equitable environment inclusive of diverse people, ideas, and fields of science.
• Grow Together: We meaningfully collaborate with one another to create something bigger than we could ever achieve alone.
• Make a Difference: We lead with heart and compassion in all our interactions. We create positive change in our areas of influence, whether expanding scientific inquiry, developing the next generation of leaders, or healing our community.
• Take Ownership: We accomplish what we say we will and hold ourselves and one another accountable for our actions.

The MVV serves as our True North, charting our strategic plan for the next ten years and beyond. It is an exciting time to be a part of the University of Chicago and the BSD. Our team is helping shape the future for our learners, staff, faculty, patients, and community.

The Center for Research Informatics (CRI) is an organization within the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) that provides informatics resources and services to BSD faculty. Four main services comprise the CRI's operations: applications development, bioinformatics, scientific computing, and clinical research data warehousing/business intelligence. Through these service lines, the CRI enables research of the highest scientific merit and advances the state of the art of clinical and translational informatics. The CRI recruits exceptional candidates looking to leverage state-of-the-art technologies to deliver innovative and exciting solutions biomedical researchers.

Job Summary

The Center for Research Informatics (CRI) in the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) is seeking a HPC system administrator to join its system and operation team that builds and manages scientific computing (HPC) and research storage (RSS). Incumbent will be involved in the management and administration of HPC and RSS hardware and software. Incumbent will collaborate closely with faculty and research teams to support rigorous scientific research in biological sciences. The position operates in a federal recharge center.

Responsibilities

Provisioning, configuration, and operation of computational hardware and analysis software for use by research projects.

Participate in the technical development to enable continuing innovation within the infrastructure.

Ensure that hardware, software, and related procedures adhere to organizational values and enable the research of faculty, staff, collaborators, and other end-users.

Support day-to-day operations of the systems including systems administration, monitoring and storage performance up to and including network components.

Support the system’s network switch, file system and HPC software stack and tools.

Diagnose and resolve system operational problems quickly and effectively.

Coordinate with vendors to resolve hardware and software problems.

Assist users with access and other help desk ticket requests or issues.

Assist with planning and installing necessary patches and upgrades for servers and their associated storage, network, communications, and peripheral sub-systems.

Track compliance and maintain documentation for hardware, software, and service inventories for management reports.

Maintain an appropriate level of intrusion detection, monitoring, and auditing software as required.

Maintains complex system and network administration functions. Works with moderate guidance to administer simple systems and assists in the administration of larger systems.

Installs, configures, and maintains operating system workstations and servers. Performs software installations and upgrades to operating systems and layered software packages. Monitors and tunes the system to achieve optimum performance levels, acquiring higher-level skills in the process.

Ensures integrity by implementing appropriate routine software and hardware solutions. Conducts routine hardware and software audits of workstations, backing up all information.

Maintains all supporting documentation for comprehensive operating system, hardware and software configuration. Monitors primary responses for information technology related security incidents and violations. Keeps current with new security and network monitoring technologies, applicable laws, and regulations.

Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, biological sciences, or related field.

Experience:

Experience in a scientific computing environment.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

Computer and network security.

HPC scheduling software (e.g., PBS, Moab, SLURM), parallel filesystems (e.g., GPFS, Lustre), HPC Interconnects (e.g., Infiniband, OmniPath), and scientific programming (e.g., C, C++, Fortran).

Preferred Competencies

Ability to administer Linux servers.

Understanding of issues in research computing.

Ability to build and install software from source.

Basic knowledge of computer and network security.

Understanding of HPC scheduling software (e.g., PBS, Moab, SLURM), parallel filesystems (e.g., GPFS, Lustre), HPC Interconnects (e.g., Infiniband, OmniPath), and scientific programming (e.g., C, C++, Fortran).

Working Conditions

Office/hybrid—in person 2-3 days/week.

Application Documents

Resume (required)

Cover Letter (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Information Technology

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$75,000.00 - $110,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.