Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer (RC1031)

As a Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer at Northrop Grumman, your main responsibilities will include monitoring and maintaining network performance within high-performance compute clusters, contributing to their design, diagnosing and resolving network faults, and interfacing with external network administrators. You'll also need to assess network-induced operational risks and propose mitigation strategies to ensure smooth operations.

To qualify for the Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer position at Northrop Grumman, you need a Bachelor’s degree with 14 years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with 12 years, or a PhD with 10 years of relevant experience. Proficiency in Linux and a strong understanding of high-performance computing network fabrics are essential, in addition to having or being able to obtain an Active DoD TS/SCI Clearance with Polygraph.

Yes, Northrop Grumman offers relocation assistance for the Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer position, helping to ease the transition for qualified candidates moving to Annapolis Junction, MD.

Candidates for the Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer role should be familiar with network technologies such as Cisco, InfiniBand, Slingshot, RoCE, and OmniPath, as well as MPI-based implementations and parallel file systems. A strong knowledge of Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) is also highly beneficial.

The salary range for the Sr. Staff HPC Network Engineer position at Northrop Grumman is between $171,000.00 and $256,400.00, depending on factors such as experience, education, and market conditions. Additionally, employees may be eligible for bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects you've worked on involving HPC networks, the technologies you've used, and any challenges you faced. Highlight your understanding of network fabrics and how you've optimized network performance in HPC environments.

Discuss your approach to task prioritization; for instance, emphasize the importance of monitoring cluster performance metrics and how you would handle acute network faults by assessing their impact on user operations before acting on them.

Describe your systematic troubleshooting process, including checking network configurations, monitoring traffic for abnormalities, collaborating with team members for insights, and documenting your findings. This shows that you are methodical and solutions-oriented.

Provide specific examples where you've utilized Linux in network engineering roles, focusing on your command-line skills, any scripting you've done, and how Linux has supported high-performance computing environments.

Discuss the practices you follow based on STIGs, regular audits, and collaboration with security teams. Mention how you keep up-to-date with security trends and incorporate best practices into your work.

Emphasize the collaborative nature of engineering, particularly in HPC environments, where interfacing with system administrators and user support is crucial for operational success. Share examples of how you've worked with others to accomplish project goals.

Select an impactful HPC project you've worked on, outlining the objectives, your specific role, the technologies used, and the results. This demonstrates your expertise and ability to deliver results in challenging situations.

Talk about your commitment to continuous learning through attending workshops, obtaining certifications, reading industry publications, and following relevant online forums. This reflects your proactive nature and dedication to your profession.

Outline your problem-solving strategies, including risk assessment techniques, communication with stakeholders, and ongoing monitoring to identify potential issues before they arise. This will show that you are forward-thinking and risk-aware.

Describe your approach to gathering detailed information from users about their experiences before investigating network logs and performance metrics. Explain how collaboration with peers can help address the issue quickly while maintaining user communication.