Group Leader, HPC Platforms

Requisition Id 15284

Overview:

We are seeking a Group Leader (GL) for HPC Platforms group in the National Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS). Selection will be based on qualifications, relevant experience, skills, and education. NCCS Provides state-of-the-art computational and data science infrastructure coupled with dedicated technical and scientific professionals tackling large-scale problems across a broad range of scientific domains for accelerating scientific discovery and engineering advances. NCCS hosts the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, one of DOE's National User Facilities which operates Frontier, the nation's first exascale supercomputer.

Purpose:

The GL provides both technical and non-technical leadership to a group of between 8-12 Platform Engineers and Site Reliability Engineers, along with several remote contractors which help to support the group and overall NCCS mission. Strategically advance technical professional subject matter expertise for a variety of technical projects, programs or operations consistent with ORNL's culture, historical leadership, and continued goal to be the world's premier R&D institution for computational science. The GL is expected to drive towards this goal ensuring reliable operations while embracing innovation to support emerging DOE mission priorities.

The GL is onsite at ORNL and orchestrates and oversees a group of peers with the primary goal of pursuing global leadership in their field, nurtures ORNL's culture among group members, and continues to build and scale up individual excellence and impact. The Technical Group Leader reports to and works closely with the Section Head to implement the group's technical vision; works closely with group members to identify areas for growth, set/establish performance-related goals, address performance-related deficiencies, and provide opportunities to further enable their career advancement; establishes capabilities that enable programs to excel at the forefront of technical professional expertise; works to solve technical challenges for science, engineering, or technical projects and functions; sets, implements, and models standards for performance of work consistent with Environment, Safety, Security, Health, and Quality (ESH&Q) requirements and business rules; and create a workplace that sets an example for the broader community.

Technical:

Technical professionals are recognized leaders in their area by providing subject matter expertise for a variety of technical projects, programs, or operations. Solves technical challenges for science, engineering, operations or projects.

The Group Leader will guide the HPC Platforms Group in its responsibility for the day-to-day administration and support of the NCCS capability computing needs --for the OLCF and other programs/initiatives/partnerships. Activities include program and project-related requirements gathering, system architecture and procurement efforts, along with the subsequent installation and deployment, acceptance and performance testing, upgrades, problem diagnosis and troubleshooting, etc.

Act as the technical lead for the HPC Platforms team, leading the development and modernization of platform services. Architect expansion of OpenShift cluster resources for both on premise and cloud environments while maintaining the security and integrity of the OLCF Slate service platform. Develop group members in skills and capabilities to enable their career advancement.

Architect solutions to improve the reliability, scalability, performance, and (operational) efficiency of the OLCF Slate service, build on Kubernetes and the RedHat OpenShift Container Platform. Manage the incident response process to investigate and fix service issues from bare metal through the OS to the OpenShift platform to the application code. Design, build, and maintain infrastructure and applications via practices such as Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, and GitOps. Provide guidance, training, and self-service tools to assist users in effective employment of Kubernetes managed containers.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Develop a vision and implement a cohesive group strategy to ensure the success of new and ongoing technical projects to position the group for future success.
• Develop and implement plans to exploit new opportunities and/or expand existing efforts. Engage deeply with other groups in the division to make plans that balance risk and innovation while delivering reliable operations.
• Assist staff in setting performance goals consistent with the group's strategy and members' long-term career goals. Provide feedback, coaching, and mentoring to individual group members to address performance or behavioral issues in a timely manner.
• Work to build consensus around best-practice technical solutions, both within the group and in cross-cutting projects within the NCCS and assist in associated conflict resolution.
• Provide relevant input to assist the Technical Section Head with operational decision-making and strategy, as well as staff development, while providing direct and impactful guidance to staff on a regular basis.
• Attract top candidates and hire staff members who are committed to world-class technology and aspire to be the best in their field.
• Lead by example by exercising the principles in ORNL's "Research Code of Conduct" as a guide for proposing, performing, and communicating research.
• Coach and mentor staff regarding Battelle's "Safe Conduct of Research" principles
• Lead ESH&Q by example and ensure all work is carried out safely, securely, and in compliance with ORNL policies, standards, and procedures.
• Exemplify a commitment to "One ORNL" by modeling lab expectations for excellence in research, operations, and community engagement, and by working cooperatively to leverage capabilities across the lab.

Service

• Serve as immediate supervisor for staff members in group.
• Encourage staff to "think and dream big," take appropriate risks in their work, and develop skills that will enable them to pursue new ideas, technical passions, and programs.
• Advance the reputation of the group members and standing of the group through establishing collaborations, Professional Society leadership and involvement, and organization of technical events.
• Support group members by consistently reviewing technical products such as proposals, publications, and artifacts to ensure high quality and consistency with ORNL standards.
• Build strong teams across ORNL.
• Connect staff to your network and professional societies.
• Hold regular technical group meetings and be visible in the workplace.
• Hold regular 1-on-1 meetings and discussions with individual staff members to discuss project tasks, status, obstacles, and needs.
• Assume front-line responsibility for safety in the group.
• Effectively communicate the importance of protecting proprietary or sensitive information and complying with ORNL security, cybersecurity policies and guidelines.

Accountabilities

• To group staff, for the quality and safety of their work environment and opportunity for professional growth.
• To section head, for world-leading technical directions, safe effective, and compliant operations, ownership of assigned staff, facilities, and equipment, and the quality of products and services.
• To customer, for the quality of products and service.

Authorities

• Develop a vision and implement a strategy to pursue world-leading technical/technology directions for the group.
• Hold staff accountable for performance through organized and documented Employee Performance Management processes and Group Health Assessments.
• Act to ensure safe and effective operations.
• Recruit, Interview, and recommend hiring of staff.
• Develop on-boarding plans for new staff-including assignment of technical and non-technical mentors.
• Certify the technical quality of the group's products and services.
• Act as a Technical Project Officer for small and medium sized projects for NCCS.

Basic Qualifications:

• Requires a Ph.D. with a minimum of 4 years relevant experiences, a M.S. with a minimum of 7 years experiences, a B.S. with 10 years relevant experiences, or significant relevant experiences.
• Qualified candidates should have demonstrated experience in leading technical teams.
• Other qualifications are section specific.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Qualified candidates should have demonstrated management experience.
• History of engagement with Department of Energy and national laboratory complex, particularly leadership class computing.
• Exceptional communication, planning, collaboration, and customer service skills.

Special Requirements:

• Q Clearance: This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Q clearance from the Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program.

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation's most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.