What are the responsibilities and job description for the Storage Systems Administrator position at Vanderbilt University?
Position Summary:
The Storage Systems Administrator is part of the Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education (ACCRE) at Vanderbilt University and is a key contributor responsible for maintaining the performance and availability of tier 2 and archival storage systems. T Reporting directly to the Director of Research Computing Operations, the Storage System Administrator will be part of ACCRE’s Infrastructure Group and collaborate with members of other ACCRE units.
The Storage Systems Administrator will ensure the proper functioning of hardware components in use by ACCRE’s storage and tape systems. This includes running diagnostics and monitoring overall system health. As a member of the Infrastructure Group, this role serves as ‘remote hands’ in the data center and participates in the on-call rotation.
About the Work Unit:
The Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education is a provider of technology and support to Vanderbilt faculty and students in the areas of high-performance computing, large data storage, software development, and visualization. Our goal is to meet faculty and students ‘where they are’ to give them the easiest access to the broad range of computing tools available for both research and education.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
ACCRE Storage Systems Administration
Maintain, administer, and improve ACCRE’s storage services
Set, implement, and audit user access controls
Aid in operational security implementations
Solve user support issues
Troubleshoot hardware and software problems related to the storage
Be the primary support for the tape library
Be a member of the team developing, deploying, and supporting a distributed NAS system
Work on adapting existing software tools to support the transport and management of research data between various storage pools both on and off campus
ACCRE Compute Cluster Administration
Set up/configure cluster hardware related to storage systems and cluster management infrastructure
Install operating system and related utility software
Monitor the status of the cluster utilizing tools such as CheckMK, including customizing the tools for ACCRE-specific needs
Serve as a technical resource to users and other ACCRE staff members
Coordinate critical tasks with other team members to meet project guidelines
Act as internal technical consultant to ACCRE staff, particularly related to projects on which this position is serving as the primary systems administrator
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Director of Research Computing Operations.
Education and Certifications
A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
Experience and Skills:
Required
Vanderbilt Export Compliance regulations designate that this position is limited to US citizens and permanent residents only
The ability to physically move and lift hardware up to 50 pounds
Five years of experience with system administration with UNIX/Linux based operating systems or managing compute cluster subsystems
Demonstrated experience with Bash and/or Python scripting of moderate complexity
Demonstrated self-driven, inquisitive, and productive troubleshooting abilities
Strong ability to work individually and in a team environment is required.
Preferred
Experience with parallel clustered storage solutions including one of: IBM SpectrumScale (GPFS), Auristor, PanFS, or OpenAFS
Knowledge and experience of GIT version control
Knowledge and experience with configuration management tools such as Ansible
Demonstrated success in taking initiative, meeting deadlines, and adjusting to operational shifts
Experience with RedHat based systems
Experience in an HPC environment
Experience with disk storage hardware (SAS, JBOD, RAID, HBA, RAID controllers, etc.)
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.
Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.
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