HPC Systems Engineer - TS/SCI Required
Charlottesville, VA
March 24, 2026
HPC Systems Engineer - Charlottesville, VA (100% Onsite) - Active TS/SCI Clearance Required
About the Role
Phoenix is seeking a High Performance Computing (HPC) Systems Engineer to support the build, configuration, and sustainment of advanced Linux-based HPC cluster environments. This role is critical to enabling distributed compute workloads, scientific simulations, and GPU-accelerated processing within a secure research environment.
You will work in a cluster-scale computing environment where performance optimization, scheduler configuration, and distributed workload execution are key to mission success.
What You’ll Do
- Configure, deploy, and maintain multi-node Linux HPC clusters
- Administer and optimize workload schedulers (e.g., Slurm, PBS)
- Troubleshoot distributed compute workloads across cluster environments
- Perform performance analysis across compute, storage, and network layers
- Support GPU-enabled workloads and CUDA-based processing
- Develop and maintain automation scripts and operational tooling
- Assist in cluster provisioning and node deployment (e.g., xCAT, Warewulf)
- Support containerized workloads within HPC environments
Required Qualifications
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- Ability to work onsite in Charlottesville, VA
- 6+ years of Linux systems administration experience
- Hands-on experience with HPC clusters or distributed compute environments
- Experience with workload schedulers such as:
- Slurm
- PBS / PBS Pro
- Torque or similar
- Strong command-line Linux administration skills (RHEL preferred)
- Experience with scripting or automation (Bash, Python, or similar)
- Ability to obtain DoD 8140 (8570) IAT Level II certification
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience administering multi-node HPC cluster environments
- Familiarity with parallel/distributed file systems (Lustre, BeeGFS, GPFS)
- Experience with MPI, OpenMP, or other parallel computing frameworks
- Experience supporting GPU compute environments (CUDA)
- Familiarity with container technologies:
- Docker, Podman, Singularity/Apptainer
- Experience with configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet)
- Background supporting research labs, university HPC, or defense environments
Technical Environment
You’ll work with cutting-edge technologies, including:
- Linux-based HPC clusters
- High-performance networking (RDMA, InfiniBand)
- Distributed compute frameworks (MPI, OpenMP)
- GPU-enabled processing (CUDA)
- Cluster provisioning tools (xCAT, Warewulf)
What Makes a Strong Candidate
Successful candidates typically come from environments such as:
- HPC cluster administration
- Research computing or university HPC centers
- National labs or scientific computing programs
- Defense or intelligence community computing environments
How to Apply
Qualified candidates should submit resumes that clearly highlight:
- HPC or distributed computing experience
- Scheduler expertise (Slurm, PBS, etc.)
- Linux administration in multi-node environments
- Troubleshooting distributed workloads
- Automation and scripting experience
Benefits Offered:
Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance - 100% Company Paid Premiums
STD, LTD, and Life Insurance - 100% Company paid
401K – Automatic 10% company contribution; no matching required
PTO - 4 weeks/year
Holidays - 11 paid/year
Birthdays off with pay
Referral Bonuses – Upfront AND Annually Recurring
Open Source Bonuses – Contribute to our Github projects
Professional Development – Paid training, Certifications, and Enrichment
ABOUT PHOENIX OPERATIONS GROUP:
Phoenix Operations Group is a high-end engineering services company dedicated to protecting and advancing our national cyber resources. As a small company, we rely on innovation to continually advance our employees' skills and provide game-changing solutions to our customers.
Our technical competencies include Big Data analytics (batch and streaming), Cloud Computing infrastructure, multi-INT visualization, and enterprise architectures. We support operational missions (All-Source, Financial, CND) and serve as Product Owners for our open-source research initiatives.
Please visit us at http://www.phoenix-opsgroup.com for more information.
Phoenix Operations Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Phoenix Operations Group does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.
What our employees say
Very interesting work. Management is top-notch. Great pay and benefits. Lots of learning and training opportunities.
Fellow employees are some of the most talented and happy people I've had the pleasure of working with. Phoenix tries and succeeds at doing right by them and everyone stays happy with the company and leadership.
Challenging work with excellent compensation. Responsive and caring management team that are committed to building a long term relationship with their employees. They are very supportive about improving your career. Small company culture with big benefits and perks.
Phoenix has been very accommodating to schedules and commutes. Phoenix is also actively interested in giving back to the community and regularly hosts events to support different charitable groups. Management is responsive and actively tries to make sure employees have what they need.
Phoenix is by far the best company I have worked for, both professionally and personally. Leadership is dependable and honest. They go out of their way to ensure that their employees are taken care of as well as on a career path that suits their desires as well as strengths. There are also plenty of growth opportunities in regards to professional development. Amazing company.
In the past at other federal defense contractors what you often see is that people are treated as replaceable cogs. Money runs out for a contract and either the person has to find their own replacement work or they get no choice but to find different work at a new job. This past year with the tumult of continuing resolutions I've been impressed on how agile Phoenix has been in finding and getting coverage for all their various projects at various locations. They treat people like assets instead of replaceable parts.
Management has helped me further develop my technical skills and has supported me in all my professional and personal development objectives. I can't say enough good things about the management. The company is fairly young and still small. If you're looking for a better place to work, then here it is. They work hard to get you into positions that are challenging and that align not only with the company objectives but most importantly yours.