High Performance Computing Graduate Warrington 2024

At the Hartree Centre, we want to see UK businesses outperforming their global competitors. We want to grow the economy, create skilled jobs and train people to excel in them. Most of all, we want to keep the UK at the forefront of industrial innovation. We're making all this happen and more, by enabling UK industry to fully accept and integrate the latest digital and cognitive technologies.

We provide collaborative research, innovation and development services that accelerate the application of high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies. By working with us, businesses and research partners can gain a competitive advantage that enables them to produce better outcomes, products and services more quickly and cheaply than through conventional R&D.

The STFC Graduate Scheme

The STFC Graduate scheme will give you the opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion early in your journey with us, supported by technical training and a broader programme of career support and training and development.

Our dedicated Early Careers Development Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions. We know that professional recognition is also important to you too, so we will provide mentoring and expertise to help you achieve valued qualifications or chartered status in your chosen field.

STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours.

About the role

We have an opportunity for a HPC System Administrator, with experience of the Linux operating system, to join the Technical Solutions and Operations Group within The Hartree Centre.

We are looking for a great teammate with professional communication and interpersonal skills who can work effectively with all stakeholders including colleagues and users of our services. Can you demonstrate excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to show sound judgement?

This is a great position for a critical thinker who regularly demonstrates initiative, and someone who is willing and keen to learn new skills with a natural interest in new computing techniques and technologies.

We will encourage you to work independently and in small multi-disciplinary groups on projects designed to deliver enhancements to our infrastructure and services.

We operate a service desk according to ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) best practice and the role will include the provision of user support on a shared rota basis.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Performing routine system administration tasks such as monitoring, tuning, hardware fault detection and resolution
• Timely delivery of project work to specification and within budget.
• Creating and maintaining accurate documentation of procedures and configurations.
• Chipping in to our user support activity, maintaining secure records of your activities.
• Advocating best practice and new or revised technical procedures to colleagues
• Working effectively within, and developing solutions that align with, the Hartree Centre systems architecture, local and corporate policies, and our change management procedure.

To apply for this graduate opportunity, we are looking for the following

Essential:

• Achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree in a relevant field of study
• Have the right to live and work in the UK at the time of starting employment
• Practical experience of the Linux operating system
• Ability to diagnose system or software faults, analyse problems, propose and implement solutions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective organisational, time management and problem-solving skills – you are someone who is able to prioritise and to deliver against work plans, and who is able to effectively divide their time between tasks of varying scope, size and complexity
• Team player – you are someone who isn’t afraid to ask for support, and who is also keen to support colleagues

Desirable:

• Experience of an IT automation system such as Ansible
• Development experience with Perl, Python or shell scripting
• TCP/IP networking

Important information

Please note, we can only accept two applications per candidate.

Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.

We also hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.