COSMOS - System Engineer

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Closing Date:

Type of Position:

Professional Staff - Project/Program AdministrationNo

Job Type:

RegularNo

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a metropolitan research university that provides an accessible, quality education through flexible learning and unparalleled internship opportunities. At UA Little Rock, we prepare our more than 8,900 students to be innovators and responsible leaders in their fields. Committed to its metropolitan research university mission, UA Little Rock is a driving force in Little Rock's thriving cultural community and a major component of the city and state's growing profile as a regional leader in research, technology transfer, economic development, and job creation.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.  To apply for the position, please click the Apply link/button.

If you have a disability and need assistance with the hiring process please contact Human Resources at 501-916-3180.

For general application assistance or if you have questions about a job posting, please contact Human Resources at 501-916-3180.

Department:

COSMOS - Provisional Positionshttps://cosmos.ualr.edu/

Summary of Job Duties:

The Project/Program Manager (Systems Engineer) is a full-time, provisional position at the COSMOS Research Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. This role is funded through a grant or contract, and continued employment is contingent upon ongoing funding and satisfactory performance. The Project/Program Manager (Systems Engineer) focuses on the deployment, configuration, monitoring, and maintenance of GPU-enabled servers, virtualized environments, and hybrid infrastructure supporting research and enterprise systems. It is a non-coding role requiring strong Linux/Windows administration skills, virtualization experience, automation knowledge, and familiarity with data center operations. The Project/Program Manager (Systems Engineer) will collaborate with researchers, developers, and partners to maintain high-performing, secure, and scalable infrastructure that powers computational workloads. This on-campus position is governed by state and federal laws and agency/institution policy.

The position reports to Prof. Nitin Agarwal (nxagarwal@ualr.edu), Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair, Donaghey Distinguished Professor, and Director, COSMOS Research Center at UA-Little Rock.

Qualifications:

Required Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline;

• Strong Linux and Windows server administration skills.

Preferred Education and/or Experience:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline;

• 1+ year(s) of hands-on experience in server management, system administration, or infrastructure support;

• Basic knowledge of Linux system administration;

• Certifications such as RHCSA/RHCE, MCSE, CompTIA Network+/Security+;

• Experience with GPU environments (NVIDIA preferred), CUDA drivers, and related tools;

• Experience in research labs, AV systems, and hybrid on-prem/cloud setups.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot GPU servers, workstations, and physical hardware;

• Deploy and manage virtual machines using VMware, KVM, Proxmox, etc.;

• Establish and maintain on-premises cloud architecture (e.g., OpenStack);

• Monitor system performance, health, and storage integrity;

• Perform hardware installations, upgrades, diagnostics, and repairs;

• Administer and maintain Linux and Windows operating systems;

• Manage user access, permissions, and security compliance;

• Collaborate with AI/ML and research teams to ensure infrastructure readiness;

• Design and implement scalable infrastructure using enterprise and open-source tools;

• Automate server provisioning and system tasks using Bash, PowerShell, or Python;

• Use automation platforms such as Ansible, Terraform, and CloudFormation;

• Manage containers (Docker) and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes);

• Maintain Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and identity/authentication protocols;

• Administer networking components: VLANs, routing, firewalls, VPNs;

• Configure and manage Arista switches and related network appliances;

• Lead projects for AV systems and hybrid learning environments;

• Maintain physical network setups, including rack mounting and cabling;

• Support hybrid cloud infrastructure; ensure uptime, compliance, and documentation;

• Assist with infrastructure for data ingestion, storage, and processing; and

• Other tasks as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in remote server management (e.g., iDRAC) and dynamic resource allocation;

• Familiar with data models, pipelines, ETL workflows, and storage systems;

• Skilled in identifying and resolving performance and system issues;

• Experience with virtualization tools (VMware, KVM, Proxmox);

• Advanced scripting skills (Bash, PowerShell, Python);

• Experience with monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Nagios);

• Familiarity with network segmentation, firewalls, VLANs, and TCP/IP;

• Knowledge of Arista EOS CLI, ACLs, BGP, STP, EVPN, VXLAN;

• Hands-on experience with switch configuration, patch panels, and physical network setup; and

• Experience in classroom AV systems, hybrid learning setups, and IP management.

Additional Information:

$65,000 annuallyResume

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Prof. Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair, Donaghey Distinguished Professor, and Director, COSMOS Research Center at UA-Little Rock.
nxagarwal@ualr.edu

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS  

Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements:

Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Constant Physical Activity:

Hearing, Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding, Repetitive Motion, Sitting, Standing, Talking, Walking

Frequent Physical Activity:

Hearing, Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding, Repetitive Motion, Sitting, Standing, Talking, Walking

Occasional Physical Activity:

Hearing, Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding, Repetitive Motion, Sitting, Standing, Talking, Walking

Benefits Eligible:

Yes