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The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington (UW) Seattle is seeking a Senior Computer Specialist - Linux/Networking  to support our real-time seismic monitoring projects.

The PNSN monitors earthquakes in the states of Washington and Oregon for public safety and scientific research. We operate and maintain about 500 seismic stations throughout the region. Their data are processed through several applications to provide a series of products, including real-time warnings of imminent shaking as part of the USGS ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system, earthquake locations and sizes, distribution of strong shaking, and raw data archived for scientific and engineering studies. We work in a collegial work environment that emphasizes the open sharing of different perspectives, a respectful inclusive environment, and a commitment to serving Washington and Oregon with strong applied science.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

As a Senior Computer Specialist at the PNSN, you would:

•Work with other senior computer specialists to provide technical support to existing PNSN software, hardware, and networking.
•Continuously assess, advise, and seek information on scalable and supportable PNSN computing infrastructure, process improvements and expansions, including implementation and deployment of new and updated tools and hardware.
•Understand, advise on, and continually assess risk-benefit tradeoffs of proposed technical solutions, in concert with stakeholders.
•Act as an information security advisor, primarily within the context of system administration and remote networking.
•Occasionally present on relevant topics to internal and/or external collaborators.
•Provide subject matter expertise for incidents, as well as for communications and messaging regarding ongoing risks and threats to PNSN data and information.
•Assist the field team in troubleshooting remote networking solutions when needed.

You are a great fit for the role if:

•You understand information security in the context of infrastructure administration and support, and you’re very comfortable deploying, troubleshooting, and managing physical hosts, virtual machines or containers.
•You have the knowledge and skills to automate such work whenever possible (with tools such as Bash or Python scripting, Ansible, Nagios, oVirt, etc.).
•You have the ability to assess and balance the often-conflicting requirements of business efficiency, long term supportability, and data security.
•You possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, you’re a great listener, and you are able to patiently and kindly explain or present technical subjects to people with varying degrees of technical expertise.
•Additionally, you understand the critical importance of well-written and regularly updated documentation, and enjoy doing such work without having to be prompted.
•You thrive in a work environment that places a high importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

•Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information management or related field or experience.
•Two (2) years of relevant and predominantly Unix/Linux system administration experience in a large networked environment.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

•Understanding of Linux firewall and TCP/IP networking, including virtual private networks.
•Understanding and experience with security technology systems, issues, and tools.
•Experience or interest in maintaining and installing computer hardware and networking equipment.
•Experience performing progressively more complex and responsible tasks related to consulting and support of networked computer systems, applications, and operations.
•Demonstrated excellent written/oral communication skills, technical documentation skills, and personal interaction abilities for effective collaboration and teamwork.
•Experience with the configuration, deployment, and ongoing management of virtual machines.
•Interested in supporting scientific research and advancing public safety.

DESIRED:

•PostgreSQL and MySQL database management, replication, and tuning.
•Familiarity with user management tools such as FreeIPA
•Information security certification - the PNSN can cover the cost to complete if you do not
•Experience with containers and cloud deployments (Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud)
•Experience with creating, running and maintaining virtual machines such as KVM, VMware, or similar
•Familiar with real-time data flow from IoT devices via private networks
•Familiar with working in a 24/7 operational environment

WORKING CONDITIONS:

•Must be able to respond to security incidents and critical outages during off-hours.

•Must be willing to be occasionally on-call on a rotating basis.

•This is an essential/critical employee position and you may be required to report to work remotely or in-person if UW suspends operations.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.