Research Data Storage Analyst

Description

Do you want to be part of a team that supports world-leading researchers by delivering innovative data storage and management services? Would you enjoy collaborating with faculty and researchers to design and implement solutions that best support their research needs? Are object storage and/or parallel file systems among your specialties? If so, the Research Computing department at Princeton University is looking for a Research Data Storage Analyst to join its team and help guide the direction of TigerData, a data storage and management service that supports the advancement of research at Princeton University.

As a member of the advanced data and storage management team, you will partner with colleagues in the University Library, research faculty, vendors, and IT staff to collaboratively design, install, and administer data storage systems and related software to the specifications needed for the implementation of TigerData. You will monitor and troubleshoot system-level issues, manage network configurations, and assist with the administration of high-performance computing storage systems. Working closely with campus colleagues, you will also provide timely and creative support to faculty and researchers as it relates to long-term data storage and retrieval.

Responsibilities:

• Install, maintain, and administer research data storage and retrieval systems 
• Install, maintain, and support data archival and retrieval software, and data movement schedulers on the systems 
• Partners with developers to properly support the creation of automated processes and workflows for departmental use of TigerData 
• Monitor system and network health and performance and resolve issues related to storage  
• Tune the TigerData and HPC storage systems software and hardware to adapt to the changing needs and usage patterns of our faculty and researchers  
• Managing networking configurations  
• Assist with the administration of high performance computing storage systems 
• Use scripting and programming tools (bash, Python, and/or Perl) and perform basic debugging
• Design, install, and administer the TigerData HPC storage systems 
• Manage a multitude of data buckets/vaults and their related access keys, install and configure middleware, and manage user access and group creation in TigerData 
• Manage diverse file systems including Isilon, IBM Spectrum Scale, and others 
• Manage the underlying heterogeneous storage infrastructure that makes up TigerData including the ability to tune each storage system appropriately to meet performance needs 
• Applying best practices to install, configure, and operate data intensive research systems both on-premises and in the cloud  
• Keeping abreast of and learning about emerging storage technologies and develop those that will bring value to the populations served by Research Computing
• Consult with the University Library, faculty, researchers, vendors, and IT staff to determine storage and data movement requirements and needs

Essential Qualifiactions

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a storage system administrator in a research environment 
• Expertise in object storage systems and POSIX file systems  
• Experience supporting various storage solutions, including cloud object storage systems, Isilon, and parallel file systems, such as SpectrumScale (GPFS) and/or Lustre  
• Experience securing and managing systems that process and store restricted use, confidential, and personally identifiable data 
• Ability to solve routine and complex data storage and movement problems  
• Experience with tuning storage systems 
• Expertise in managing protocols for sharing the data (NFS, CIFS, Globus)  
• Experience with scripting and programming tools like bash, Python, and/or Perl 
• Ability to respond promptly and professionally to customer requests  
• Demonstrated successes working in a collaborative environment, as well as independently  
• Ability to learn new systems beyond area of core knowledge  
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with a diverse user base having varied levels of technical proficiencies 
• Experience using HAProxy for network configuration 
• Ability to proactively seek information and ideas from peers, supervisors, and customers  
• Ability to handle multiple priorities 
• Education: A bachelor’s degree in science, information technology, mathematics, computer engineering, or a related computational field. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise with big data system administration, installation, and troubleshooting 
• Experience with cloud storage solutions  
• Familiarity with complex data sets  
• Experience managing databases, such as MySQL or PostGreSQL 
• Experience with the MediaFlux software platform 
• A Masters or Ph.D. in computer science or other related field, coupled with a strong computational focus, is preferred. 

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW