The Center for Structural Biology (CSB) at Vanderbilt University is seeking a full-time S taff S cientist to support high performance computing and storage needs for CSB investigators . Day to day operations will take place within t he Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education (ACCRE). ACCRE is a shared Vanderbilt resource that runs an > 10,000 processor core Linux cluster comprised of multiple architectures and manages over 12 petabytes of parallel access, fault tolerant, distributed disk storage. This position will focus on optimizing software installs, data management, scripting, and user support for the CSB research community in order to streamline workflows that utilize Vanderbilt's growing HPC and data storage facilities. This environment provides the opportunity for a motivated individual to participate in and contribute significantly to a stimulating professional research and teaching environment at the cutting edge of structural biology and high performance computing. This position requires coordination with other scientists within ACCRE and the CSB. The CSB is a multi-disciplinary, trans-institutional center based in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine's Basic Sciences. It supports the technology required for elucidating the atomic structures of biomolecules and biomolecular assemblies: EPR and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo/Rosetta Modeling, and both Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) and Cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET). The recent and planned expansion of the cryo-EM/cryo-ET facility, along with ongoing developments in computational modeling, have catalyzed the need for dedicated high-end computational support. Duties and Responsibilities Provide expert technical support for users, including problem determination and resolution. - Provide guidance to existing and potential users on how to use ACCRE for their research projects through both one-on-one and small group training sessions including assistance with code compiling, environment setup, and scripting.
- Respond to help desk tickets to solve user problems and to educate users on ACCRE services.
- Maintain familiarity with emerging techniques and technologies in research computing.
- Become co-primary support on the SLURM scheduling software.
Optimize software for existing and new cluster infrastructure related development projects and provide advanced support for the cluster and other implemented projects. - Research, develop, implement, maintain, document, and support infrastructure technology and services that facilitate the management and usage of the cluster, which includes elevated end-user cluster support.
- Assist researchers with software issues to improve their productivity on ACCRE cluster.
- Compile software for researchers using the EasyBuild framework. Become primary support on form submission software and website.
- Assess software packages that could expand ACCRE's value to users.
- Research and evaluate new technologies and concepts which could potentially further improve ACCRE's capabilities and services.
- Learn basic hardware maintenance and assist system administrators with hardware when needed as backup or when assigned to assist with hardware projects.
- Participate in the on-call rotation and after hours scheduled and unscheduled downtimes.
- Help ensure that the cluster operates on a 24/7 basis.
Qualifications - Ph.D. in structural biology or a high-performance computing related field is necessary.
- Experience building third-party software from source code, using one or more compiled programming languages such as C, C++, Java, or Fortran is necessary.
- Experience writing/editing code with one or more Unix scripting languages such as Perl, Bash, Csh, or Python, plus a working knowledge of all of these, during work or school is necessary.
- Experience with one or more major programming languages such as C, C++, Java, PHP, or Fortran and one or more scripting language such as Bash, Csh, Perl, or Python, plus a working knowledge of all of these is preferred.
- Knowledge and experience in version control tools and configuration management tools is preferred.
- A background in structural biology (preferably cryo-EM/ET) along with a strong interest in computational IT is necessary.
- Strong ability to work independently and in a team environment and make decisions is necessary.
- Strong ability to share knowledge coherently with others and motivate and integrate peers is necessary.
- Ability to communicate with researchers is necessary.
- Physical ability to work with and lift hardware when needed is necessary.
- Strong programming ability and understanding of commonly used design patterns is necessary.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification. |
