Systems Engineer

Position Summary This recruitment will fill up to four part‑time (a maximum of 20 hours per week during an academic term) Systems Engineer positions for the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Oregon State University (OSU). Availability begins 05/18/2026. Positions are full monthly through 08/31/2026. Responsibilities 55% – Deploy and maintain infrastructure including servers, workstations, and network equipment using configuration management tools (Chef). Plan for future growth, maintain Linux servers, databases, backups, web sites, code repositories, and other development tools used by hosted partners. Work directly with hosted partners to architect environments and respond to support / change requests. Document procedures and maintain server/software inventory. 20% – Work with the Open Source community, other hosted partners and developers at the OSL to determine needs. Work with vendors on procurement, design systems for developers, provide oversight on system issues. Meet with customers, evaluate needs, explain solutions in non‑technical terms. Continually work with customers through stages of design, implementation, and maintenance. 20% – Work with fellow students to review existing and new code for readability, quality, and correctness. Write automated tests to ensure code quality. Continually improve existing codebase and update to latest standards and styles. 5% – Develop skills to support primary job functions. Research new tools and methods. Consult with others in industry to learn emerging technologies. Share and collaborate with OSU computing community and beyond. Qualifications – Must have Basic experience using Linux on the command line, including installing Linux, installing packages and deploying basic services (e.g., Samba, Apache). Basic understanding of how Linux works and basic OS concepts. Experience using git and GitHub or GitLab workflows. Ability to work well in a team. Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to learn quickly. Preferred (Special) Qualifications Experience with the Ruby language or other scripting languages. Experience with a configuration management tool (e.g., Chef, Ansible, Puppet). A passion for helping the worldwide open source community. Physical ability to lift 30–50 pounds occasionally for racking servers. Academic Requirements Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study. Must meet Academic Standing requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible. Must meet applicable minimal enrollment standard High School student: regularly enrolled or home‑schooling program. Undergraduate/post‑baccalaureate: 6 credit hours per term. Undergraduate international: 12 credit hours per term. Graduate student officially admitted: 5 credit hours per term. Graduate international: 9 credit hours per term (subject to OIS approval). *International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified and still be considered “full‑time” by USCIS. A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS) and must be provided to the Student Employment Center. Criminal History Check This position is designated as a critical or security‑sensitive position; the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal History Check and be determined position qualified per OSU Standard 576‑055‑0000 et seq. Incumbents must self‑report convictions, and those in Youth Programs may have additional checks every two years. OSU will review the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. Working Conditions / Work Schedule Typical schedule is at least two consecutive hour periods between 8 am–6 pm, Monday–Friday. Hybrid position: remote or on‑site work negotiable with supervisor. Compensation and Benefits Position appointment percent: 100% (part‑time 20 hrs/week). Pay method: hourly. Pay rate—Minimum hourly rate $15.05 (Standard); $14.05 (Non‑Urban); $16.30 (Portland Metro). Maximum hourly rate $21.50 (Standard); $21.00 (Non‑Urban); $22.00 (Portland Metro). Pay period: 16th – 15th of following month. Pay date: last working day of the month. Equal Opportunity Statement We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval. Additional Information Job posting is a pooled posting: it will stay open for several months; we will pull applicants from the pool for interviews as openings occur, until the closing date (08/31/2026) and possibly beyond. Some System Engineers are needed to start soon and then more in the coming months. Applicants must attach a resume and a cover letter describing how qualifications and experience prepare them for the position. Supplemental Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*). #J-18808-Ljbffr