Software / Full-time
Distributed Systems Engineer, Field Array
Build and operate the volunteer distributed-compute network that performs most candidate reduction for the Laboratories.
The Field Array depends on thousands of ordinary computers doing small, trustworthy pieces of work. The engineering standard is correctness under partial trust.
Resume or CV
Code, product, visualization, or systems portfolio
Short note on privacy, signing, accessibility, or public-data trust
Candidate exercise
A systems or interface critique with a narrow implementation discussion, not a production feature request.
Software recruiting desk / FAL-DAI-26-004
Full-time exempt staff appointment
Continuing employee benefit tier
REC-DAI-26-004-SOF
FAL-DAI-26-004-public-notice-05
July 6, 2026
Search committee
- 01Dr. Ingrid Solvberg
- 02Software recruiting desk
- 03Public Systems and Security delegate
Recruiting active file plus finalist review record
How this packet is evaluated
Software and public data
Finalist review covers software supply chain, public-data trust, signing boundaries, and production access separation.
Complete packets are logged under REC-DAI-26-004-SOF, separated from public correspondence, and assigned to the Software recruiting desk for first read.
Any exercise is bounded, redacted, and evaluated only for hiring. It is not added to the catalog, public systems, grant files, or laboratory work product.
| Criterion | Weight | Evidence reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Public trust | 30% | Designs interfaces that keep source, uncertainty, and privacy visible. |
| Systems judgment | 30% | Builds durable services with clear failure modes and restrained scope. |
| Security posture | 20% | Respects signing, access, logging, and data-release boundaries. |
| Product finish | 20% | Can make technical tools useful without making them theatrical. |
- 01Reference check after candidate notice
- 02Work-location and access-boundary confirmation
- 03Software supply-chain and production-access review
- 04Program-office recommendation before offer
Candidate review docket REC-DAI-26-004-SOF; public posting version FAL-DAI-26-004-public-notice-05.
Responsibilities
- Maintain the Field Array client, updater, work scheduler, and result ingestion services
- Improve correctness across unreliable, heterogeneous contributor machines
- Operate telemetry without collecting unnecessary contributor data
- Build release practices that treat volunteer trust as a first-order system requirement
Qualifications
- Experience building distributed systems or client update infrastructure
- Strong Windows engineering skills; macOS experience helpful
- Care for privacy boundaries, signing, rollback, and operational observability
- Ability to write clear public technical explanations
Preferred experience
- Experience with BOINC-like systems, scientific computing, or GPU workloads
- Experience with Velopack, code signing, or long-tail desktop support
What good work looks like
- Client releases are boring, signed, reversible, and clearly explained
- Volunteer machines receive bounded work without exposing private data
- Result ingestion rejects bad work without punishing honest contributors
Continuing staff appointment
Remote role with one annual station security and systems review
Up to 10 percent for release planning and contributor reliability review
Software supply-chain, signing, and privacy review required
Hiring process
- 1Systems design interview
- 2Code review
- 3Security/privacy interview
- 4Final with DAI lead
Recruiting acknowledges complete packets within five business days and routes them to the program office named on the requisition.
Access, relocation, and accommodations
No station acknowledgement required at application stage
Relocation support is not assumed for remote-first appointments unless the final offer changes the work location.
Candidates may request accommodation support through recruiting before any timed exercise or station visit.
Software recruiting desk, FAL-DAI-26-004
- Recruiting will not request references until the candidate is notified.
- Finalist access checks are started only after a program panel recommends continued review.
- Candidate materials are retained under the recruiting records schedule and are not used as public work product.
Candidate materials remain in the recruiting record and are not used as laboratory work product, public samples, or source material for the catalog.
Candidates may request accommodations before any timed exercise, station visit, or access-review step by contacting the recruiting desk listed on the requisition.
FAL evaluates candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other protected status.
Apply for this position
Applications are read by the relevant program. Include links to your CV, publications, or portfolio where relevant. For station roles, use the message field to note any field, access-controlled, archive, or remote-site experience that would help the review panel.