Your job
As a High Performance Computing (HPC) engineer at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), you will collaborate with a diverse team of researchers and IT professionals to deliver cutting-edge technological solutions for groundbreaking research. You will serve as the vital link between the possibilities offered by IT and the specific needs of applied research groups.
At WUR, our HPC cluster is a cornerstone of our IT infrastructure. We are currently in the midst of a complete rebuild to meet the rapidly expanding needs of our researchers. Your expertise will be instrumental in building, testing, deploying, and managing this new HPC cluster. Working alongside a team of engineers responsible for managing Linux & Windows servers, virtualization, and Kubernetes container platforms, you will focus on creating a dedicated Data Science platform team for HPC and Artificial Intelligence.
In this small, agile team of 3 to 4 engineers, you will play a key role in developing and maintaining IT solutions that enhance the speed and efficiency of research across all domains at WUR. Your solutions will improve the reliability, safety, and reproducibility of research data and models.
As a critical member of the team, you will design, implement, and maintain the high-performance computing infrastructure and services for our research community. Collaborating closely with researchers and infrastructure specialists, you will ensure efficient and reliable storage and utilization of large-scale datasets, while ensuring the smooth operation of our HPC cluster. Your responsibilities as a systems administrator will include setting up and maintaining Linux-based systems, as well as troubleshooting and resolving technical issues related to hardware, software, and networking. Initially, you will receive guidance and support from the team to familiarize yourself with the environment and the organization.
To excel in this role, you should be well-versed in scientific processes and possess a broad range of consulting and IT skills to effectively support researchers. You will have the opportunity to coach and teach researchers, enabling them to understand and utilize IT solutions more effectively. Your flexibility and problem-solving abilities will be crucial in finding the right solutions for diverse inquiries and achieving the desired results.
At WUR, we embrace an agile and collaborative work culture. Our teams follow Scrum methodologies, emphasizing communication, transparency, and continuous feedback. While working on-campus two days a week, you will also have the flexibility to work remotely on other days, promoting focus and a healthy work-life balance.
Join our team at WUR and contribute to groundbreaking research by delivering innovative IT solutions and supporting researchers in their pursuit of knowledge.
Responsibilities:
• Design, deploy, and manage HPC systems, optimizing performance, reliability, and scalability.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues, minimizing downtime.
• Monitor performance metrics, identifying areas for improvement.
• Stay updated with emerging technologies, assessing their impact on research computing.
Your qualities
- Bachelor’s or higher degree in computer science, engineering, or equivalent experience;
- Experience in Linux (preferably Ubuntu);
- Experience in implementing and maintaining parallel file systems (preferably Lustre);
- Experience in deploying and administering a workload scheduler (preferably Slurm);
- Proficiency in Python and Bash;
- Solid understanding of low latency network protocols and technologies used in HPC;
- Experience with module managers such as Environment Modules and Lmod, and package management tooling such as EESSI, Spack or EasyBuild;
- Experience with configuration management and automation tools (e.g. Ansible) and containerization technologies such as Singularity or Apptainer;
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with a keen attention to detail;
- Experience with working in a scientific environment and/or providing support to researchers will be advantageous;
- Proficiency in English (and preferably also in Dutch)
As you can see this job offers a lot of challenges. These challenges may also be interpreted as opportunities for growth of your experience. If you think that you can fulfill the tasks and responsibilities within a reasonable time period because you are a fast and eager learner, we also invite you to apply for this job if you have not achieved the track record that we ask for yet.
We offer you
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- the option to accrue additional compensation hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
- sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
- there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
- a fixed December bonus of 4%;
- excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 2.949 and € 5.479 for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10 to 11). We initially offer you a one-year contract with the intention to convert it into a permanent contract. Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed.
Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a multi-faceted position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.
Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed.
Wageningen University & Research’s International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.
Do you want more information?
For more information about this position, please contact Roy Bartels (Vakgroepmanager) by e-mail: roy.bartels@wur.nl
For more information about the procedure, please contact Leoni Gasille, HR-Advisor, email: leoni.gasille@wur.nl
Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on this vacancy page which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.
This vacancy will be listed up to and including 17th of July 2023. We hope to schedule the first job interviews in the week of Monday 24th of July.
Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page.
A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.
WE ARE
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.
With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
We are
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.
With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
Apply now