Strategic HPC Architect for Research Computing

Ajcunet; Santa Clara (CA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Santa Clara University seeks a Research Computing Engineer to lead the HPC environment and partner with researchers to translate complex workflows into scalable computational solutions.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on engineering of Linux-based HPC, Slurm scheduling, containers, and secure data workflows. On-site, with hybrid scheduling, and a strong emphasis on governance and training.

Qualifications

• Full-Cycle Ownership & Strategy: Demonstrated ability to independently design, implement, and govern enterprise-grade computational environments and workflows.
• Technical Mastery: Advanced, hands-on mastery of Linux systems administration, automated provisioning, and comprehensive package management systems.
• Scripting and Automation: Demonstrated experience writing and debugging complex scripts in Bash, Python, or Ansible.
• HPC Ecosystem Expertise: Deep knowledge of workload managers (Slurm), container technologies (Docker, Apptainer), and version control. Proven success implementing distributed file systems (BeeGFS, Lustre) and environment module systems.
• Cybersecurity Leadership: Advanced understanding of cybersecurity principles, encryption standards, and risk-mitigation strategies unique to open research cluster environments.
• Communication: Exceptional interpersonal and verbal communication skills; ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical users.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving technical and human issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic roadmap and long-term capacity planning for SCU’s HPC infrastructure.
• Own full-cycle consultation with researchers and faculty to translate requirements into scalable solutions.
• Architect and implement infrastructure enhancements for AI, ML, data science workloads.
• Develop SOPs and automated workflows for onboarding, resource allocation, and governance.
• Lead training programs and documentation to cultivate a self-sustaining research culture.
• Oversee deployment lifecycle of software, containers, and shared libraries; manage HPC cluster policies.

Skills

Full-Cycle Ownership & Strategy

Linux systems administration

Scripting and Automation (Bash/Python/

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a highly quantitative field

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) preferred

Tools

Slurm

Docker

Apptainer

BeeGFS

Lustre

GitHub

CI/CD

Automation tooling

Job description

Santa Clara University seeks a Research Computing Engineer to lead the HPC environment and partner with researchers to translate complex workflows into scalable computational solutions.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on engineering of Linux-based HPC, Slurm scheduling, containers, and secure data workflows. On-site, with hybrid scheduling, and a strong emphasis on governance and training.