Hybrid Hardware & Software Support Engineer - HPC
Skills
About the role
About Bull
Bull is a story. One with a century of European innovation and a working environment where experts design powerful, sustainable, and sovereign digital solutions, enabling states and industries to retain full control over their data and their AI.
Bull is also thousands of engineers, researchers and passionate tech people shaping the future of high‑performance computing, AI, and quantum technologies.
Every day, our teams push the boundaries of what is technologically possible – from next‑generation HPC architectures to exascale supercomputers – supported by world‑class R&D, more than 1,600 patents, and unique end‑to‑end capabilities spanning hardware design, software engineering, data science and quantum research.
We are a people‑centric, innovation‑driven company, where collaboration spans Europe, the Americas and India. We share a common vision of a responsible and sustainable innovation that delivers concrete impact for our customers.
Location
Primarily on-site at a customer facility near Reading, Berkshire, with occasional support for additional HPC installations across Europe.
Requirement: Must be eligible for UK DV Security Clearance.
About the Role
Bull’s High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence & Quantum Business Unit is seeking a Hybrid Hardware & Software Support Engineer to join our HPC Services team. This is a highly visible, customer-facing operational role supporting advanced HPC infrastructures in the UK.
You will work across computing, storage, and networking layers, ensuring the deployment, stability, and performance of large-scale Linux-based systems. While prior HPC experience is an advantage, it is not mandatory - strong Linux and infrastructure engineers eager to grow into HPC & AI are encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities:
Deployment & System Bring‑Up
Install, configure, and integrate HPC cluster components (compute, storage, networking).
Perform system installation, initial configuration, and operational readiness checks.
Apply patches, updates, and conduct routine maintenance activities.
Hybrid Hardware & Software Support
Provide Level 1 and Level 2 operational support for HPC environments.
Diagnose and resolve issues involving:
Linux operating systems
Enterprise server hardware
High-speed interconnects
Storage subsystems
Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
Escalate appropriately within the global support organisation when needed.
Operations & Incident Handling
Monitor system health and respond to incidents proactively.
Perform troubleshooting in secure, mission-critical environments.
Maintain detailed and accurate documentation of incidents and resolutions.
Customer Interface
Act as the primary technical contact on-site.
Communicate effectively regarding incidents, planned maintenance, and system status.
Build trusted relationships with customer technical stakeholders.
Represent Bull professionally in sensitive and high-profile environments.
Core Technical Skills
What you must know to perform the role successfully:
Strong Linux expertise (RedHat and/or Debian-based environments)
Solid understanding of enterprise server hardware (CPU, memory, storage, diagnostics)
Scripting skills in Bash and/or Python
Strong networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, routing, switching, security basics)
Hands-on experience with infrastructure deployment, configuration, and maintenance
Excellent troubleshooting and analytical abilities
Proactive mindset and ability to work independently
Desirable Skills & Experience
Valuable, but not mandatory:
Experience with HPC clusters
High-speed networking (40/100GbE, InfiniBand)
Virtualisation technologies (KVM, OpenStack)
Storage systems (Ceph, SAN/NAS)
Parallel filesystems (Lustre, GPFS, BeeGFS)
Containers (Docker, Podman, Kubernetes)
Configuration management (Ansible, Puppet)
Monitoring and observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Icinga)
Workload managers (Slurm, PBS Pro)
Git version control
Candidate Profile
We are looking for someone who:
Is hands-on, operationally focused, and detail oriented
Thrives in secure, mission-critical environments
Approaches troubleshooting methodically, even under pressure
Communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Takes full ownership of incidents through to resolution
Is motivated to learn continuously and their technical expertise
Education & Experience
Option 1:
Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field + at least 2 years of relevant experience
Option 2:
5+ years of relevant industry experience
Strong early-career candidates with solid technical foundations will also be considered.
Benefits:
Working on advanced HPC and digital infrastructure projects
Continuous learning and technical skill development
Career growth within a global technology organisation
Participation in internal initiatives and community-focused activities.
#Bull
Join us!
Here, your ideas, your curiosity and your technical excellence directly shape the next era of advanced computing - unlocking enterprise value, accelerating scientific progress and driving positive impact for society.
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