System Engineer II

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Job Category:

Employment Type:

Job Profile:

Job Duties:

The Center for Climatic Research (CCR) and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) two research centers within the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison are seeking a Systems Engineer to provide network computer application and programming support for approximately 50 personnel total across the two centers. The duties associated with this position will include working directly with faculty research staff and grad students to implement an infrastructure for specific research and educational projects and to process databases and analytical tools for climate and other environmental modeling incumbent is also expected to work closely with CCRs and SAGEs Center Directors to ensure smooth functioning of the centers activities. They will manage an infrastructure for research and educational projects in various capacities (hardware software visualization and proposal/journal writing) and advise on the use of centralized campus computing and data storage resources including the Department of Information Technology Center for High Throughput Computing and Data Science Institute. This position involves making technical decisions that require initiative and independent thought.

The responsibilities in this position encompass three major areas:

1. Research Support & System Administration (60%)

* Work with CCR and SAGE personnel to facilitate their research efforts at all levels: hardware software proposal and journal article writing graphics creation

* Provide system administrative support for the Wisconsin State Climatology Office

* Consult with faculty to develop databases for their research applications proposals and protocols

* Advise consult with and determine technology software needs of the faculty researchers and staff. Recommend hardware and software purchases.

* Participate in the information technology policy development long and short-range planning and help to identify propose and execute research projects aimed at developing new data analysis streamlining applications

* Install and configure operating systems desktop and laptop computers Linux clusters and application software for the approximately 65 Macintosh computers and PCs that use OS X and/or Unix or Windows. Install software compilers and libraries as needed.

* Manage approximately 20 printers: networking cartridges software spooling

* Maintain networked program licensing setup and running.

* Establish new backup system for Macintosh computers

* Coordinate networking with the system administrator in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

* Provide technical support for the Paleoecology Laboratory (computers software microscopes) and the Climate People and Environment Program (CPEP) and Weston Seminars

* Support and explore analytical software and scientific visualization tools for climate research (e.g. Matlab Grads NCAR Command Language ArcGIS)

* Develop on-site shared directories for commonly used data bases

* Supervise one or two student IT assistants

* Offer group or personal training in computational resources as needed by CCR and SAGE personnel

* Poster printing

* Learn and use ShopUW to order supplies

• Maintain and update email lists.

2. Web Management (20%)

* Manage CCRs and SAGEs web servers (regularly update content according to recent activities and personnel alter design and formatting as needed and enable public access to climate data products and visualization/analysis tools)

* Maintain and expand when necessary web-accessed data bases to enhance scientific outreach activities

* Monitor and respond to general inquiries coming into the two centers websites

3. UW Cloud Computing and Off-site Supercomputing (20%)

* Ensure CCRs connectivity to remote IBM supercomputing clusters at national laboratories by managing accounts and serving as the centers liaison

* Assist CCR researchers with opening and closing of accounts developing proposals for obtaining time on supercomputers and providing technical support for running climate models and analyzing output

* Serve as point person for questions regarding advanced or high-volume computing or storage needs

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Completes procurements installations configurations repairs automations and modifications of complex technology hardware software and associated components independently.

• Identifies troubleshoots researches and resolves routine issues on varied systems platforms networks and applications to ensure system security confidentiality compatibility and functionality according to policies procedures and regulations

• Designs installs configures tests and maintains routine and varied automation hardware and associated equipment according to customer specifications to meet unit objectives

• Develops and facilitates individual and group end user trainings answers questions and provides information specific to complex information technology end user products and services

• Documents and disseminates deployed systems system upgrades or changes to the appropriate entities according to established policies and procedures

• Assists with the planning and coordinating of system logistics workflows upgrades and system security and affiliated procedures

• Installs firewalls host and client access mechanisms permissions and user accounts

Department:

Nelson Institue for Environmental Studies Center for Climatic Research (CCR)

Compensation:

The minimum annual (12 months) starting salary for the position is $65449 ($52359 for .8 FTE) but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation holidays and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at ( Qualifications:

• 2-4 years experience in IT/systems administration

• Demonstrable experience in hardware (Macintosh PCs Linux clusters) software (Mac OS Unix Windows) and web site management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Some background in MPI and scientific research

Education:

Associates degree or higher required

How to Apply:

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process click the apply now button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

• Resume

• Letter of Qualifications (cover letter)

Please submit a cover letter referring to your work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background as it relates to this position. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role.

The application deadline is 11:59pm on September 29 2025.

Additional information:

Partially remote: Two days per week at the Center for Climatic Research two days per week at the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment and the option for one day per week as remote.

This position may be full time (40 hours weekly) or part time (32 hours weekly)

Eligibility to Work in the US

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States a lawful permanent resident a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Contact Information:

Lili Gagliano 608.890.4747

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength creativity and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity culture background experience status abilities and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching research outreach and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students faculty and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus please visit:Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to including but not limited to race color religion sex sexual orientation national origin age pregnancy disability or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings click here.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodationfor any step in the hiring process (e.g. application interview pre-employment testing etc.) please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)in the division you are applying make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.