System Administrator Full-time

The Data & Platforms group is looking for a system administrator to join us. We are responsible for the technology in an institute of approximately 100 people. The major service is a mid-sized high-throughput computational cluster that runs Debian.

From an Open Source standpoint:

• servers almost all run Open Source operating systems (Debian and OpenBSD) and analysis software (with the notable exception of Matlab)
• we use Open Source tooling and work closely with groups developing open source analysis software
• we are involved with the NeuroDebian project, which packages Open Source Neuroscience software for Debian/Ubuntu
• we develop/release our own projects and contribute to open source projects when they are relevant for our work

Lastly: Reproducible science is a major theme in our institute. Reproducible science benefits greatly from reproducible systems and software —- something the open source community (and Debian especially) have been key drivers of.

If you have questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact me at “a dot waite at fz-juelich dot de”.

The official job listing is as follows:

Your Job:

• Co-maintain the institute`s server and network infrastructure, including computational systems, data infrastructure, service monitoring, and web servers. Deploy configuration and software using Ansible and Debian packages
• Among the IT infrastructure is a mid-sized high throughput computing cluster with a variety of hardware architectures and software. Monitor the job queue, machine load, and identify potential improvements and efficiencies
• Further develop workflows to better enable scientific analysis of research data
  Support research groups to use the cluster infrastructure
• Automate administration, configuration, and deployment tasks by writing or extending scripts (Bash or Python).
• Develop and deploy software containers (Singularity, etc.) to support reproducible and portable scientific analysis with provenance tracking
• Ensure that the institute`s technical infrastructure and data comply with security policies
• Maintain the institute`s computer systems, resolve technical issues, and provide technical support for operating systems (macOS; Debian; and (sometimes) Windows as appropriate)
• Coordinate and document technical and non-technical tasks using version control tools and platforms such as Git and GitLab
• Maintain knowledge of trends, developments and new technologies related to server and network infrastructure

Your Profile:

• A successfully completed university degree (Bachelor) in informatics, computer science, or a similar subject of study or a completed professional training as IT specialist systems integration or equivalent education in the IT area
• Practical experience of setting up and maintaining IT systems and networks
• In-depth knowledge of IT systems administration with a focus on Linux (Debian) and Configuration Management (Ansible)
• Knowledge and experience of using scripting languages and higher level programming languages such as Python and Bash
• Familiarity with version control tools and collaborative workflows such as Git and GitHub/Lab
• Experience of job scheduling systems (such as HTCondor, Slurm, k8s, etc)
• Good communication skills in English (required) and German (strongly preferred)
• A friendly personality with a genuine willingness to work collaboratively and help others
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• Comprehensive training and individual opportunities for personal and professional development
• Optimal conditions for work-life balance and a family-friendly policy
• The opportunity to work flexibly, e.g. from home
• Comprehensive occupational health management
• A friendly working environment that encourages self-motivation and project choice
• Flexible working hours in a full-time position with the option of slightly reduced working hours
• 30 days of annual leave and provision for days off between public holidays and weekends (e.g. between Christmas and New Year)
• A commitment to contributing to the open source and open science ecosystem
• A variety of technologies, tools and domains to work with
• Targeted services for international employees, e.g. through our International Advisory Service

We offer you an exciting and varied role in an international and interdisciplinary working environment. The position is initially for a fixed term of 2 years, with possible long-term prospects. Salary and social benefits will conform to the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) depending on the applicant’s qualifications and the precise nature of the tasks assigned to them.

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.