SKA Mid - Storage Systems Engineer at NRF National Research Foundation

About the position

Postion Summary:
The SKA-Mid Storage Engineer supports the design, implementation, management, and optimisation of enterprise storage systems that enable the Telescope technical and operational goals. This role ensures high availability, performance, and reliability of storage platforms to support business applications and data integrity under guidance from senior staff. The SKA-Mid Storage Engineer contributes to the delivery and evolution of systems by deploying, monitoring, upgrading, diagnosing and fault-finding and restoring, applying systems engineering practices, supporting deployments, participating in infrastructure planning, and helping ensure systems remain aligned with SRE [URL Removed] collaborating across teams, the engineer contributes to building maintainable and scalable systems, supporting both ongoing project development and sustainable steady-state operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Administer, maintain, and support enterprise storage platforms across on-premises and cloud environments
• Support enterprise backup, restore, and disaster recovery operations
• Investigate, troubleshoot and resolve incidents related to storage availability, access, or performance
• Maintain up-to-date documentation of storage systems, configurations, and proceduresSupport storage-related projects and contribute to system improvements
• Participate in team collaboration and ongoing professional development to support team effectiveness and individual growth

Minimum Qualification:

• Diploma / Advanced Certificate / NQF 6

Minimum Experience:

• 1-7 years

• National Diploma in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or equivalent qualifications coupled with 7 years’ experience, ORBTech/BSc in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or equivalent qualifications coupled with 6 years’ experience, ORBENG/MTech in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or equivalent qualifications coupled with 4 years’ experience, ORMENG in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or equivalent qualifications coupled with 3 years’ experience, ORPHD in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Electronic Engineering, or equivalent qualifications coupled with 1 years’ experience

Experience:

• Experience withing with SANs and storage systemsExperience working with storage server installations, monitoring and diagnosesExperience with hardware and storage software upgrades and repairsExperience working with Operating Systems, IAAS toolsExperience working in data centres or server rooms/environmentsBasic experience with computer networksBasic hands-on experience in infrastructure design and automation, distributed systems, observability, CI/CD, container orchestration (e
• g
• Kubernetes), DevOps/SRE practices and cloud-native technologies
• Experience working in international teams or initiatives that intersect with data platforms, storage, networking, and systems engineering domains

Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including performance optimisation, fault tolerance, and resource scheduling within Linux-based environments
• Hands-on experience monitoring, diagnosing, and repairing (break/fix) various OEM hardware, including HPE, Dell, and Super Micro systems
• Familiarity with containerised environments (Docker, Podman), orchestration platforms (Kubernetes, Helm), and container runtime architectures (e
• g
• , CRI)
• Knowledge in infrastructure-as-code and CI/CD methodologies, utilising tools such as GitLab CI, Ansible, and Terraform (advantageous)
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals, including cabling and basic diagnostic procedures
• Experience in asset management practices, including maintaining asset registers, system and architectural mapping, warranty and service tracking, and related tools/processes
• Experience working with service levels (SLAs) and an understanding of operational frameworks such as Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), ITIL, and COBIT
• Knowledge of IT security principles, especially regarding change management, physical and logical access control
• Awareness and adherence to Health and Safety standards and best practices

Additional Notes:
Competency – Essential: Demonstrated ability to contribute effectively to cross-functional engineering projects and follow through on implementation plans under directionHardware maintenance and support: Basic skills such as changing hardware components, e.g. Hard drives, memory modules, CPU, MotherboardFirmware and drivers diagnostics, configuration and updatesHealth and safety, self-care within data centres, assembly workshops and computer labsTools and equipment use and management, e.g. regular cleaning, proper storage, routine maintenance, regular inspection, safe handling and usage, inventory management and asset trackingIT Spares Inventory and Tracking: Inventory categorisation, asset tagging and labelling, maintenance of data within the inventory management system, stock management, access control, lifecycle and warranty tracking, disposal and waste managementComputer Infrastructure Asset Management, including tracking, maintaining, and optimising relevant storage hardware across their lifecycle using applicable tools to ensure availability, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.IT Audit and documentation, including rack positions, server diagrams, as well as service and support logsHands-on experience in Linux systems administration, basic automation, and performance tuning, with a willingness to deepen expertiseProficiency in Linux command-line usage, service configuration, and troubleshooting; learning kernel and system-level tuning practicesAbility to manage assigned tasks within an Agile environment, and collaborate effectively with teammates on sprint goalsEffective troubleshooting skills, with a learning mindset toward root-cause analysis and improving operational resilienceSkills:Problem solving and analysis: Skilled in root cause analysis, systems troubleshooting, and performance bottleneck resolution. Communication and Collaboration: Clear articulation of technical recommendations, cross-functional stakeholder engagement, feedback integration. Planning and delivery: Capable of participate in Agile and Systems Engineering Processes and [URL Removed] learning: Commitment to staying current with evolving technologies in containerisation, cloud-native systems, observability, and systems automation. Commitment to staying current with evolving technologies in computing infrastructure, hardware, components (Storage, memory, Motherboards, Processors, I/O, GPU, HBA, NICs [URL Removed] and knowledge sharing: Ability to produce high-quality technical documentation and share knowledge across engineering teams. Teamwork: Collaborate within your team and with cross functional teams with our [URL Removed] Notes: Organisational Values:The SKA-Mid Storage Systems Engineer will be expected to demonstrate the SARAO and SKAO’s values, and to work actively to instil those behaviours in all SKA-Mid staff in South [URL Removed] values are:1. Diversity and Inclusion 2. Excellence3. Collaboration4. Creativity and Innovation5. SustainabilitySARAO’s values are:1. Passion for Excellence2. World-class service3. People-centered4. Respect5. Integrity and Ethics6. AccountabilityBoth SARAO and SKAO value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance. Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is [URL Removed] NRF website provides more details on the initiatives and activities Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by registering and apply online through the NRF Recruitment and Selection Portal. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant·s suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

Desired Skills:

• Skilled in applied field of position
• Knowledge to be relevant
• Responsible in performing duties

About The Employer:

The National Research Foundation (NRF) (wwww.nrf.ac.za) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) (www.sarao.ac.za) spearheads South Africa's activities in the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction. SARAO is a National Facility managed by the National Research Foundation and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (AVN) programme in nine African countries as well as the associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours. The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) (www.skao.int) is a next-generation global radio-astronomy facility that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics. It is one observatory with two telescopes – SKA-Mid in South Africa and SKA-Low in Western Australia. South Africa is a co-host member of the SKAO, an intergovernmental organisation headquartered at Jodrell Bank (near Manchester in the United Kingdom) responsible for SKAO construction and operations globally.