Graduate Research Computing Service Support / Software Engineer
- 📁
- Early Careers
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- Sep 08, 2024 Post Date
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- 240000RB Requisition #
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Salary: £33,380 per annum. Successful candidates also receive a £1,000 welcome bonus.
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire
Closing Date: Sunday 20th October 2024
Assessment Centre: December 2024/January 2025 TBC (travel and accommodation will be reimbursed)
Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.
This role will not attract points to obtain a sponsored Skilled Worker visa, under the UK Visa & Immigration points-based system. Applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work for the role, but who can demonstrate they will be eligible to obtain a valid work visa via another UK visa route, in line with the Contract Type shown in the vacancy. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y
JASMIN is the UK’s high-performance data analysis facility for environmental science, which over 2,000 scientists around the UK and overseas use in world-class scientific research in disciplines such as climate science, Earth observation, oceanography, biodiversity, natural hazard risk, and many more. JASMIN provides the storage, computing and analysis resources that researchers need to carry out their work collaboratively and at scales not usually possible within their own institutions. An important national asset hosted by JASMIN is the CEDA Archive, a carefully-managed collection of over 20 Petabytes of environmental datasets going back over 20 years and covering everything from computer simulations of future climate to the latest satellite observations of the Earth. Having direct access to these datasets alongside the computing power to run analysis and simulations, is a game-changer for scientists working with increasingly large and complex datasets, often in large collaborative projects involving multiple universities and research institutions.
JASMIN provides the space, the tools and the support for them to do their work effectively, and you could be part of the team that makes it all happen, working alongside domain experts keen to help you develop in your role.
The JASMIN team within CEDA, supports all the user-facing services of JASMIN via a wide range of activities including:
- Helpdesk: responding to user queries and problem reports
- Information: authoring and delivering user training on how to work effectively on JASMIN.
- Service management: operating and monitoring key services such as user access control, cloud tenancies, batch computing on an HPC cluster and large-scale storage. We work closely with colleagues in STFC’s Scientific Computing Department who operate the physical infrastructure of JASMIN.
- Development & maintenance: contributing improvements to software components of the services that we operate, applying robust and up-to-date software engineering practices as part of an innovative group of Research Software Engineers.
CEDA (the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis) is a Division of RAL Space Department at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The CEDA team works collaboratively in a friendly and supportive team-working environment. Located at RAL, you would be on site among a range of fascinating and world-class facilities with passionate staff and graduates only too happy to tell you about their work, not to mention the wider Harwell Campus buzzing with innovation.
Brief overview of the 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. For more information on our full list of benefits, please visit here.
About the role
The role of Graduate Research Computing Service Support / Software Engineer involves helping to provide support to scientific users of the JASMIN high-performance data analysis facility, across 3 main service areas: compute, storage and the JASMIN community cloud. There would be scope to adapt the role to match the strengths and aptitudes of the right candidate, but it would involve some or all of the following:
- Helpdesk: triage/prioritisation, confirming issues then resolving or seeking advice from expert colleagues
- Information: Designing, reviewing and editing technical documentation and training materials. Helping to deliver training courses, user conferences and gathering feedback and impact stories from our user community. Communicating with colleagues and users via relevant platforms (email, Slack, community for and news). Contributing technical articles to reports such as the CEDA annual report, and developing content and additional technical features of CEDA and JASMIN web sites.
- Service management: Dealing with service incidents, including identifying and documenting issues to be solved, developing service improvements to fix issues and improve service quality. Assisting with generation of reports & metrics relating to service performance and reliability.
- Development & maintenance: Contributing (via ideas and/or coding) to development of existing or new services and internal tools. Being assigned specific issues to solve contributing solutions via appropriate code management tools/methods.
- Taking part in team activities across the CEDA Division, playing an active part in an outward-focussed, innovative and friendly team which has a highly-valued reputation with its user community.
To apply for this graduate opportunity, we are looking for the following:
Key: Shortlisting (S), Interview (I), both Shortlisting and Interview (S&I)
Essential:
- Achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree, in a relevant field of study (S)
- Have the right to live and work in the UK at time of starting employment (S)
- Demonstrate an understanding of, and interest in, the work of the JASMIN team, and a desire to make a positive contribution (S&I)
- Excellent problem solving and analytical skills (S&I)
- Highly self-motivated (S&I)
- Able to manage your time effectively between multiple tasks (S&I)
- Able to work effectively as part of a small team (S&I)
- Effective communication skills (S&I)
Desirable:
- Aptitude for one or more of: (S&I)
- scientific / high-performance computing environments based on Linux
- coding, preferably in Python and bash shell environments
- robust software development & deployment practices
- communicating and helping others in a technical capacity: training/teaching/demonstrating/instructing/technical writing
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.
Please note that we 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.
For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/
You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.