Systems Administrator (Linux)

Come work with supercomputers at the Office of Research Computing!

Description

The Linux systems administrator will work with full-time employees to maintain the hundreds of Linux servers that make up the supercomputing clusters for the Office of Research Computing (https://rc.byu.edu). Duties may include systems monitoring, OS patching and upgrades, process automation and user management. As hardware needs to be refreshed from time to time, this position may assist in deployment of new hardware. There will be opportunities to learn skills specific to a High Performance Computing (HPC) environment.

Please do not apply unless you know Linux (the command line). See the To Apply section below for application instructions.

Hours and Pay

Employee is expected to work 15-20 hours per week during semesters, with the option for up to 40 hours during the Spring and Summer terms.

Starting pay range is $18-19 per hour depending on experience. Future pay raises may bring you beyond that based on job performance.

Note that most student employees are exempt from FICA taxes. If a student is exempt, it means they get an extra 7.65% more in their checks than what they could receive working off campus where they are subject to the FICA tax.

Required Qualifications

• Very good Linux or Unix skills. Be sure to detail your Linux experience in your email cover letter.
• Comfortable using a command-line text editor, such as Vim or emacs
• Scripting languages such as bash, Perl or Python
• Good communications skills for interacting with co-workers, faculy and other students

Preferred Qualifications

• Linux/Unix systems administration
• System automation using scripting languages

This position works entirely in Linux. It is important that the employee is already comfortable working on the Linux command line. Since much of your Linux experience may not be evident from your work history, please detail your specific Linux and scripting skills and experience in your email cover letter.

Citizenship / Residency Requirements

The Office of Research Computing supports projects with various export-control restrictions. Employment is restricted to US citizens and lawful permanent residents. Prior to hire, the final candidate may be subject to a screening process for citizenship/residency status in accordance with export-control regulations. A background check will also be performed.

Suggestions to Improve Your Application

Consider adding about 1-3 paragraphs to your email that explain your technical skills.

While resumes serve as valuable summaries of an applicant's qualifications, they often lack sufficient detail. Including a list of skills is beneficial, but it often does not sufficiently convey the depth or breadth of the applicant's expertise. Using ratings such as "proficient", "skilled", or "excellent" offers some insight, but these terms can be rather subjective and provide limited utility when comparing candidates. Such terms are more effective in gauging an individual's personal skill hierarchy rather than comparing them with other candidates.

For example, simply listing "Linux" as a skill on your resume doesn't help us understand the depth and breadth of your Linux skills. "Linux" doesn't tell us if you have years of experience at the command line, compile your own custom kernels, have tried out dozens of distros, or if your Linux experience is limited to basic tasks such as using a web browser. In the absence of context, we're likely to assume minimal experience. We suggest detailing your skills in your resume or the email body, especially those skills emphasized in this job posting.

To Apply

Send an email to superjobs@byu.edu with the subject "Linux Systems Administrator Position". Resumes must be attached as PDFs. Please state your estimated graduation date in the email or resume.

We know that not everyone has much work history. If your resume doesn't show your relevant skills, please talk about them in the body of the email you send. Note that we will only consider applicants with some Linux history.

Must be regular and consistent at scheduled shift attendance.