Staff Engineer - Electrical and Computing System

SLAC Job Postings

Position Overview:

As part of a new effort on energy efficient computing, we have a position open for designing the laboratory and operating the testing laboratory with senior scientists and collaborators from different companies. As a Computing Systems Performance and Power Analysis Engineer, you will be working on performance and power/energy characterization and conducting competitive analysis using benchmarks and workloads of different Artificial Intelligent systems using different algorithms for analyzing applications in Time Series, Computer Vision, Large Language Models etc. The systems will include combinations of both small-scale and large-scale algorithms running on different computing systems (CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA etc). These may include assessing the computing requirements for different simulation scenarios and developing accurate models of for energy footprints which are calibrated with experiments. Your responsibilities lie primarily in the physical interaction with devices to enable measurement and data collection and work with the senior researcher in analyzing and the position is open for onsite fulltime for a limited period in Silicon Valley. As a new position, the hire will have opportunities to be part of the exciting new area of Artificial Intelligence and its implications for computing across several disciplines and work on driving measurements to enable advanced research. Depending on the progress, the position may lead to a long term opportunity.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Modify, repair, and troubleshoot complex equipment and experimental systems.
• Prepare and review drawings, material lists, requisitions, job orders, engineering change requests, and other documents associated with development, fabrication, assembly, installations, and testing.
• Acquire and maintain tools, equipment, and chemicals associated with experimental or engineering projects.
• Maintain documentation related to research studies and protocols, and perform administrative duties related to equipment and systems associated with research or engineering projects, as assigned.
• Tasked with acquiring competitive platforms and physically modifying them to physically measure and collect power data across mobile, compute, and server competitive devices
• Respond to requests to measure Computer Systems power-performance data for various workloads and benchmarks
• Build an independent and efficient methodology to enable your work in a timely manner
• Present the power-performance data in a concise manner
• Support complex scientific and research programs related to area of specialization; analyze data, monitor and oversee experimental process, and design and develop prototypes, specialized equipment, and/or systems.
• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, or senior administrative officers to oversee complex non-routine analyses, select optimum solutions, and perform corrective modifications to equipment and system designs.
• Participate in the planning, design, and implementation of scientific or engineering initiatives, and work toward project objective.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical and computer Eng engineering or related field and two years experience including:
• Solid foundation in OS fundamentals related to Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) as a technique that studies the effect of a computer's CPU voltage and frequency on its power usage
• Strong scripting skills -- Bash / Powershell / Python
• Familiarity with Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+ recommended) for full compatibility with Intel RAPL & NVIDIA NVML, Windows 10/11 (for Intel Power Gadget compatibility) Development Environment, NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit 11+ (GPU support), Xilinx Vivado 2023.1+,
• Database Storage including in SSD and cloud services (e.g. AWS), PostgreSQL or MongoDB for structured data logging
• Soldering and physical modification of device power paths for measurement
• Data Acquisition (DAQ) experience and fundamentals

SLAC Employee Competencies:

• Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
• Self-Development: Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
• Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
• Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.
• Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.

Physical requirements and Working conditions:

• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
• Given the nature of this position, SLAC will require onsite work

Work standards:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with SLAC, Stanford, and other colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets the applicable roles and responsibilities as described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1General Policy and Responsibilities: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/pdfs/ESHch01.pdf
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu policies found in the University's

• Classification Title: Staff Engineer 2
• Grade: K Job code: 0132
• Employment Duration: regular continuing

The expected pay range for this position is $116,000 - $170,000 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.