Learning Systems Administrator

Job Summary

Oberlin College and Conservatory is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence and innovation in higher education. We are seeking a skilled and dedicated Learning Systems Administrator, with a special focus on high-performance computing (HPC) for academic and research initiatives.

Responsibilities

This individual will manage and maintain the campus High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster, serve as the primary administrator for academic learning & research software (e.g., WebMO, RStudio, Prism, Chem Draw, and others), and collaborate closely with faculty and students in Oberlin's STEM & research fields.

This role will support and advance Oberlin's research environment, build strong partnerships with faculty, and provide a service-oriented approach integral to facilitating cutting-edge research and academic excellence s isn't just a technical role, it's an opportunity to join a learning community, serve as a research ally, and actively contribute to shaping Oberlin's research future through high-performance computing (HPC), academic software, and cross-functional collaboration.

Essential Job Functions

1. High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Research Support

• Administer and optimize Oberlin's on-prem HPC cluster and related research computing infrastructure, ensuring the security and stability of HPC systems for research purposes.
• Collaborate with faculty to support the HPC needs of research groups, manage user access, troubleshoot issues, and provide technical guidance for both new and experienced users.
• Implement security measures and comply with institutional data governance standards for research computing, ensuring alignment with IRB requirements and higher education data privacy regulations.
• Assist faculty with research software installation, configuration, and executing data jobs, including terminal-based commands and shell scripting, guiding them in effective usage and troubleshooting of the cluster.
• Serve as primary point of contact to the college's HPC vendor.

Measures of Success in HPC & Research Support:

• If you're managing the HPC cluster for users with varying experience levels, then you'll prioritize security, stability, and approachable guidance.
• If a faculty member needs help configuring a complex bioinformatics workflow, then you'll troubleshoot collaboratively, translating terminal commands into learning moments.
• If emerging research trends require new infrastructure, then you'll evaluate solutions pragmatically and design implementation plans aligned with institutional goals.

2. Learning Systems Administration and Technology Support

• Install, configure, and maintain server hardware and software for HPC and research computing; ensure regular system updates, backups, and performance optimization.
• Provide technical support for academic and research-related software applications, with a focus on Linux-based systems and other research-oriented tools.
• Support the use and integration of academic learning applications, such as WebMO, Pos It Cloud, Prism, Chem Draw, etc. critical to courses and research initiatives.
• Plan and execute HPC infrastructure projects in alignment with the college's academic and administrative goals; evaluate and recommend upgrades and improvements as needed.

Measures of success in Learning Systems Administration and Academic Technology Support:

• If servers, research applications, and Linux-based systems demand updates or attention, then you'll address them proactively with clean documentation and system resilience.
• If an instructor needs help getting with academic software for a course or research method, then you'll not only install and configure but empower them with guidance they can pass along to students.

3. Community Building, Training, and Outreach

• Cultivate and maintain collaborative relationships with faculty, instructional staff, and students in the academic research community, fostering a consistent, customer-focused approach to HPC and research computing.
• Develop and deliver training materials, workshops, and documentation for HPC and research computing resources, ensuring accessibility for users with varied technical…