High-Performance Computer (HPC) Systems Engineer Lead

Nextonic Solutions LLC; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Nextonic Solutions LLC in Rockville, MD seeks an experienced High-Performance Computer (HPC) Systems Engineer Lead to ensure the performance, security, and reliability of HPC and cloud infrastructure supporting NCATS mission objectives.

You will design, deploy, and manage HPC environments using OpenHPC, Warewulf, and Slurm; integrate JupyterHub for secure interactive computing; and lead cross-institution efforts while applying CIS baseline security and RMF/ATO compliance.

Qualifications

• Strong experience designing and operating HPC and cloud infrastructure.
• Experience with integrating user-facing platforms (e.g., JupyterHub) with HPC systems for secure interactive computing.
• Proven ability to lead multi-institution HPC initiatives and compute environments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the performance, security, and reliability of HPC and cloud infrastructure.
• Lead operations of mission-critical HPC and cloud-based systems supporting scientific workloads.
• Integrate user-facing platforms with HPC systems to enable secure interactive computing access.
• Implement automation and monitoring using Terraform, Ansible, Packer, and XDMoD.
• Support security hardening per CIS benchmarks and RMF/ATO processes.

Skills

HPC design

Cloud infrastructure

Security best practices

RMF/ATO knowledge

Lifecycle management

Collaboration across institutions

JupyterHub integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, CS, engineering

Tools

OpenHPC

Warewulf

Slurm

Terraform

Ansible

Packer

XDMoD

OpenSCAP

AWS

Job description

High-Performance Computer (HPC) Systems Engineer Lead

Rockville, United States | Posted on 07/12/2026

• Ensure the performance, security, and reliability of HPC and cloud infrastructure in support of NCATS mission objectives
• Demonstrated experience designing, deploying, and managing HPC environments utilizing technologies such as OpenHPC, Warewulf, and Slurm
• Proven capability to lead operations of mission-critical HPC and cloud-based infrastructure supporting scientific research workloads
• Experience integrating user-facing platforms (e.g., JupyterHub) with HPC systems to enable secure, interactive computing access
• Demonstrated expertise in cloud infrastructure, including AWS environments supporting large-scale research initiatives (e.g., STRIDES or equivalent)
• Proficiency in infrastructure automation and configuration management using tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and Packer
• Experience implementing system monitoring and performance analytics tools (e.g., XDMoD or equivalent)
• Demonstrated ability to design and optimize GPU-enabled compute environments for high-performance workloads
• Experience applying security best practices, including system hardening aligned with CIS benchmarks and use of compliance tools (e.g., OpenSCAP or equivalent)
• Knowledge of Federal security requirements, including Risk Management Framework (RMF) and Authority to Operate (ATO) processes
• Educational background in cybersecurity, computer science, engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
• Demonstrated experience in systems lifecycle management, including patching, upgrades, and configuration control
• Proven ability to support collaborative, multi-institutional computing environments and initiatives