Senior HPC Storage Engineer

Requisition Id 16991 

Overview:

The Field Intelligence Operations Division (FIOD) of the National Security Directorate (NSSD) is seeking a Senior Engineer for a Classified High Performance Computing (HPC) Storage & Infrastructure role, helping shape the secure, high-performance computing capabilities behind some of the nation’s most consequential national security and scientific missions.

This is an opportunity for an accomplished technical professional who wants to remain deeply engaged in engineering while influencing architecture, technical strategy, and the future of classified HPC infrastructure. You will lead and support initiatives that advance the security, performance, scalability, functionality, and reliability of storage and supporting systems across multiple classified HPC environments.

As a senior technical advisor and subject matter expert, you will tackle complex infrastructure challenges, translate demanding mission and scientific requirements into resilient technical solutions, and help evaluate and introduce emerging technologies. You will work alongside scientists, researchers, HPC engineers, cybersecurity professionals, technical leaders, vendors, and mission partners to deliver capabilities where performance, availability, and security are critical.

Join ORNL and help build the infrastructure that enables world-class science in support of national security. You will work alongside leaders in HPC and advanced computing while helping develop and modernize the storage capabilities required for current and emerging national security missions.

We are looking for someone who combines deep technical expertise with curiosity, leadership, and an engineering mindset—someone who wants to solve difficult problems, influence what comes next, and build advanced computing infrastructure that directly supports science and national security.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

HPC Storage Architecture & Engineering

• Lead the architecture, design, modernization, and optimization of high-performance storage and supporting systems across classified HPC environments.
• Translate complex scientific and mission requirements into secure, scalable, resilient, and high-performing infrastructure solutions.
• Apply systems engineering and analysis to define hardware, software, storage, networking, and integration requirements.
• Develop prototypes, automation, scripts, and engineering solutions using technologies such as Python, Bash, and modern configuration-management tools.
• Establish technical standards, engineering best practices, performance objectives, and lifecycle strategies for HPC storage infrastructure.

Performance, Reliability & Operations

• Analyze and optimize storage performance, scalability, availability, and data movement across HPC environments.
• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of complex storage and systems issues in mission-critical production environments.
• Develop and enhance monitoring, metrics, and observability using technologies such as Grafana, Nagios, and related platforms.
• Support lifecycle planning and coordinate with vendors and internal engineering teams to resolve complex hardware and software challenges.
• Participate in planned maintenance and an on-call rotation supporting mission-critical systems.

Security & Classified Computing

• Architect and operate HPC infrastructure in accordance with applicable classified computing, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with cybersecurity and Information Assurance teams to integrate security throughout system design, implementation, operation, and modernization.
• Identify and remediate vulnerabilities while maintaining the performance and availability required by mission workloads.

Technical Leadership & Innovation

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor and subject matter expert for classified HPC storage and supporting infrastructure.
• Collaborate with scientists, researchers, engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and mission partners to develop solutions for complex computational and data requirements.
• Mentor technical staff, share expertise, and help develop engineering capabilities across the organization.
• Evaluate emerging HPC, storage, AI/ML, data-management, and infrastructure technologies and identify opportunities to advance mission capabilities.
• Help shape technical roadmaps and guide the evolution of classified HPC storage infrastructure.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a closely related field and a minimum of eight years of relevant systems engineering, HPC, storage infrastructure, or technical consulting experience. An equivalent combination of education, experience, and certifications may be considered.
• Minimum of five years of experience supporting Intelligence Community environments or missions.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex technical efforts and translate requirements into scalable infrastructure solutions.
• Eligibility for access to Sensitive or Special Access Program information.
• Current Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced experience with HPC storage architectures and parallel file systems, including Lustre, IBM Storage Scale/GPFS, BeeGFS, or similar technologies.
• Advanced Linux engineering experience within large-scale compute or storage environments.
• Experience with high-performance networking and data movement technologies, including InfiniBand, TCP/IP, Fibre Channel, or related technologies.
• Strong understanding of storage architecture, including parallel file systems, tiered storage, data lifecycle management, resiliency, and performance optimization.
• Experience automating infrastructure using Python, Bash, Ansible, or similar technologies.
• Experience with Git-based development workflows, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, or modern DevOps practices.
• Experience designing infrastructure supporting HPC, AI/ML, GPU computing, or other data-intensive workloads.
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical architecture, lead complex initiatives, and solve difficult problems with minimal oversight.
• Strong communication and consulting skills with the ability to work effectively across scientific, engineering, cybersecurity, leadership, and mission communities.

Special Requirements: 

• Visa sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

• Physical Requirements: Work may involve various physical requirements and working conditions.

• Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements: Q Clearance with SCI: This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Compartmented Information (SCI) 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. In addition, due to the SCI, you may also be subject to random polygraph testing. 

• Sensitive Access: Eligibility for access to Sensitive or Special Access Program Information 

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. 

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.