AI Systems Administration Specialist

Argonne National Laboratory; United States; Hybrid; USD 86,299 - 134,626; Full time

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory is seeking a Systems Administration Specialist to join the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF). In this role, you will support the AI Testbed, collaborating with research staff and ensuring the availability of the required infrastructure. A strong background in UNIX, especially Linux, and various configuration management tools is essential.

The position offers a hybrid work environment with opportunities to work onsite in Lemont, Illinois, focusing on cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies.

Responsibilities

• Work with first-class systems alongside scientific staff.
• Serve as a systems administrator on the AI Testbed.
• Collaborate to ensure sustainability of the infrastructure.
• Support machines in a mixed operating system environment.
• Guide researchers for productive research environments.

Skills

UNIX systems administration

Linux installation and troubleshooting

Configuration management tools (Salt, Ansible)

Scripting languages (Python)

Problem-solving skills

Documentation skills

Teamwork

IPv4 networking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Git

Kubernetes

Job description

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) is home to one of the world's pioneering exascale supercomputers, Aurora. With its extraordinary computing speed and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, Aurora is set to revolutionize scientific research. ALCF is dedicated to supporting high-performance computing (HPC) and adjacent services that are crucial to the research workflow. The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) is seeking a skilled Systems Administration Specialist to join their team to support the AI Testbed, which is tasked with the evaluation of emerging hardware and software platforms for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for science.

In this role you can expect to:

• Work directly with first-class systems alongside scientific staff and research colleagues within the division.
• Serve as a systems administrator on Argonne's AI Testbed, installing and managing a diverse array of AI and machine learning related hardware and software.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure sustainability and availability of the testbed infrastructure.
• Support machines in a mixed operating system environment and work efficiently with other operations groups.
• Guide researchers to maintain productive research environments.
• Work in a hybrid environment with ≥2 days onsite in Lemont, Illinois; with the ability to work fully onsite if preferred.

Required skills and qualifications

• Experience in UNIX systems administration, especially Linux, with emphasis on OS installation and upgrading, package building and management, common services and applications, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with Salt, Ansible or similar configuration management tools.
• Experience with Git or other modern version control platforms.
• Effective problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of scripting languages, particularly Python.
• Ability to write concise documentation.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Flexibility in handling assignments and working on several projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge and understanding of safely operating within a datacenter, including mounting and unmounting server hardware.
• Ability to handle physical labor of installing racks and servers in a datacenter, including lifting up to 20 pounds independently and upwards with additional help from others.
• Understanding of IPv4 networking.
• Ability to model Argonne's core values: impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship is required for successful applicants to comply with federal regulations and contract.

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Knowledge of AI/ML systems architecture and workflows (Groq, Cerebras, Graphcore, SambaNova).
• Working knowledge of Kubernetes management.
• Knowledge of scientific applications.
• Knowledge of high-performance networking technologies such as Infiniband and Slingshot.
• Knowledge of Storage Area Networking and storage arrays, such as NetApp.
• Knowledge of parallel and distributed file systems such as Lustre and their associated hardware.
• Knowledge of high-performance computing techniques, graphics, and visualization.
• Experience with software packaging, building software from source, and dynamic linking.
• Understanding of MPI and implementations.
• Ability to gather site requirements and represent them to design and development teams to find appropriate solutions across multiple sites.
• Ability to independently assess requirements, identify tasks, and coordinate with peers to accomplish goals.
• Experience implementing CI or CD workflows.

Levels

• PT3: Bachelor's degree and 4+ years of experience, or a Master's degree and 2+ years of experience, or equivalent. Expected pay range: $86,299 - $134,626.
• PT4: Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of experience, or a Master's degree and 4+ years of experience, or equivalent. Expected pay range: $106,455 - $166,070.

Job Information

Job Family: Professional Technical (PT)

Job Profile: Systems Integration Admin/Support 3

Worker Type: Regular

Time Type: Full time

Expected hiring range: $86,299.00 - $134,626.05.

All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check and compliance with federal and DOE regulations.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages all qualified applicants to apply.