Entry Level - High Performance Computing (HPC) Engineer - Onsite

Jacobs; Bristol; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in Bristol is seeking a Junior High Performance Computing Engineer to support its HPC infrastructure. This is an opportunity for recent graduates to develop their technical skills in a collaborative environment, focusing on Linux systems and computing performance.

Benefits

Free single medical cover

Digital GP service

Enhanced parental leave pay

Reimbursement for professional development

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related technical field is required.
• Basic knowledge of Linux system administration preferred.
• Interest in learning Slurm, xCAT, and Ansible is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist in managing HPC clusters utilizing Slurm workload manager.
• Perform entry-level system administration tasks on RHEL and Linux-based systems.
• Support and maintain license servers and assist with user support.

Skills

Linux system administration

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics

Tools

Slurm

Ansible

xCAT

Nagios

Ganglia

Job description

We’ll inspire and empower you to deliver your best work so you can evolve, grow and succeed – today and into tomorrow. We offer an exciting range of opportunities to develop your career within a supportive and diverse team who always strive to do the right thing for our people, clients and communities. People are our greatest asset, and we offer a competitive package to retain and attract the best talent. In addition to the benefits you’d expect, UK employees also receive free single medical cover and digital GP service, family-friendly benefits such as enhanced parental leave pay and free membership of employee assistance and parental programmes, plus reimbursement towards relevant professional development and memberships. We also give back to our communities through our Collectively program which incorporates matched-funding, paid volunteering time and charitable donations.

About the Opportunity

We are looking for a Junior High Performance Computing (HPC) Engineer to join our team and grow into a key contributor in supporting and evolving our high-performance computing infrastructure. This is an excellent opportunity for a recent graduate or early-career technologist with a passion for Linux systems, computing performance, and scientific research support. You’ll work closely with senior HPC engineers to manage and maintain our systems, assist users, and develop your technical skillset in a collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in managing HPC clusters utilising Slurm workload manager.
• Perform entry-level system administration tasks on RHEL and other Linux-based systems under guidance.
• Help support and maintain license servers (e.g., FlexLM, RLM).
• Contribute to node deployment efforts using xCAT and Ansible.
• Assist in basic hardware diagnostics and troubleshooting.
• Provide first-level user support, including account setup and job troubleshooting.
• Monitor system status and cluster performance using tools such as Nagios and Ganglia.
• Participate in basic security and compliance tasks, including vulnerability scans with Nessus.
• Help support HPC storage systems, including Pure Storage and NetApp, as part of the storage team.
• Learn and assist with networking tasks, including Infiniband interconnects.

Due to the classification of this system, there is no opportunity for remote working and the support team work flexibly to maintain a constant presence during working hours. There are no out-of-hours SLA’s associated with this system.

Here’s What You’ll Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Basic knowledge of Linux system administration.
• Familiarity with at least one scripting language (e.g., Bash, Python).
• Interest in high-performance computing and willingness to learn Slurm, xCAT, and Ansible.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently with mentorship and as part of a team.

Preferred

• Internship or academic experience in a research computing or HPC environment.
• Exposure to job schedulers (e.g., Slurm, LSF).
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Coursework or projects involving distributed systems, networking, or parallel computing.
• Understanding of basic cybersecurity concepts.

Our Culture: Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and diversity. We put people at the heart of our business, and we genuinely believe that we all succeed by supporting one another through our culture of caring. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees. We aim to embed inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected, and if we are diverse, we’re more creative. We accept people for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, mental health, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. This is reflected in our wide range of Global Employee Networks centered on inclusion and diversity. We partner with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain diverse talent. For greater online accessibility, please visit www.vercida.com to view and access our roles. As a Disability Confident employer, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the [e-mail]