CV
Professional Summary
HPC Engineer with 9+ years of experience in designing and optimizing large-scale compute environments. Specialized in bridging the gap between hardware capabilities and user applications, with a focus on cost-efficiency and performance tuning for AI/ML workloads. Proven track record in both academic and independent infrastructure projects.
Professional Experience
- HPC Machine Learning Performance Engineer
Research Computing, Northeastern University | Jan 2025 - Present- Optimizing ML workloads on HPC clusters
- Performance analysis and benchmarking for AI/ML applications
- Supporting researchers with computational workflow optimization
- HPC Software Consultant
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, Penn State | Jan 2017 - Dec 2024- 8 years supporting 500+ researchers across multiple disciplines
- Cluster performance optimization and user support
- Developed containerized environments for reproducible research (Singularity Hub contributor)
- System monitoring, resource allocation, and job optimization
- Parallel Computing Support Application Engineer
MathWorks | Summer 2021 (Internship)- Optimized parallel computing toolboxes for MATLAB
- Developed performance benchmarks for distributed computing
- Created documentation for HPC integration with MATLAB
Technical Expertise
- HPC and Infrastructure
- Schedulers: Slurm, PBS (Job arrays, dependency chains, resource optimization)
- Parallel Computing: MPI (OpenMPI, Intel MPI), OpenMP, CUDA
- Storage Systems: NFS, parallel filesystems, data management strategies
- Containerization: Singularity/Apptainer, Docker, Podman for HPC environments
- Automation: Ansible playbooks, bash scripting, system provisioning
- Monitoring: Performance metrics, resource utilization analysis
- Software Development
- Languages: Python, C/C++, Fortran, MATLAB, Shell scripting
- Version Control: Git, GitLab CI/CD
- Performance Tools: Profiling, optimization, bottleneck analysis
Projects & Competitions
- Independent HPC Infrastructure Lab (2025 - Present)
- Multi-node cluster with automated deployment via Ansible
- Comparative analysis of scheduler configurations
- Cost-benefit modeling for small-scale HPC deployments
- Open-source tools for cluster management
- 4D LiDAR SLAM Optimization (2024 - 2025)
- Computational Focus: Parallelized point cloud processing algorithms
- Optimized memory usage for large-scale sensor data
- ROS 2 simulation environment with distributed computing
- NIST First Responder UAS Indoor Challenge (2022)
- Award: 3rd place + First responder’s choice (Prize: $80,000)
- Design and develop a custom built quadcopter for GPS denied indoor scenarios and emergency situations
- Website: https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/voxeltk6
- Interactive and Collaborative Robot Assist Project (2022)
- Pennsylvania State University (Robot Ethics and Aerial Vehicles Lab)
- Design and build robots and research models to evaluate human behavior in simulated environments
- 29th and 30th Annual Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (2022 and 2023)
- Team lead, design and build autonomous ground vehicle that carries up to payload of 20 lbs
- VFS Design-Build-Vertical Flight Student Competition (2021 and 2022)
- Award: 3rd place (2022), 1st place in preliminary reports + Best Computational Simulation Award (2021) (Prize: $500)
- Design and build a quadcopter and simulations
- Website: https://news.engr.psu.edu/2022/vertical-flight-student-competition.aspx
- 9th and 10th ESA Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (2017 and 2019)
- Developed parallel algorithms for complex trajectory optimization simulations
- Website: https://www.psu.edu/news/academics/story/penn-state-students-compete-solve-problem-trajectory-design
Education
- PhD in Aerospace Engineering Pennsylvania State University (2024)
- Dissertation: Multiple Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design with Continuous-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers
- MS in Aerospace Engineering Pennsylvania State University (2015)
- Thesis: Optimal Orbit Raising Via Particle Swarm Optimization
- BS in Aerospace Engineering Pennsylvania State University (2013)
Workshop & Talks
Publications
Extending the Tisserand Graph Method for Powered Gravity Assist Trajectories
J. Li, G. Paik, R. Melton (2024). "Extending the Tisserand Graph Method for Powered Gravity Assist Trajectories." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 25-865
A Mission Planning Technique for Low-Thrust Synergetic Gravity-Assist Missions
G. Paik, R. Melton (2024). "A Mission Planning Technique for Low-Thrust Synergetic Gravity-Assist Missions." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 24-348
Multiple Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design with Continuous-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers
Ghanghoon Paik. (2024). "Multiple Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design with Continuous-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers."
Characterizing Evacuee Behavior During a Robot-Guided Evacuation
M. Nayyar, G. Paik, Z. Yuan, T. Zheng, M. Zhu, H. Lin, et al. (2023). "Characterizing Evacuee Behavior During a Robot-Guided Evacuation." 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR). pp. 119-125
Preliminary Sequencing Strategy for Synergetic Gravity-Assist Missions
G. Paik, R. Melton (2023). "Preliminary Sequencing Strategy for Synergetic Gravity-Assist Missions." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 23-275
Learning evacuee models from robot-guided emergency evacuation experiments
M. Nayyar, G. Paik, Z. Yuan, T. Zheng, M. Zhu, H. Lin, et al. (2023). "Learning evacuee models from robot-guided emergency evacuation experiments." arXiv.
Preliminary Sequencing Method for Multiple Garavity Assist with Low-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers
G. Paik, R. Melton (2023). "Preliminary Sequencing Method for Multiple Garavity Assist with Low-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers." AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting. AAS 23-344
Preliminary Trajectory Design Method for Continuous Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers for Planetary Flybys
G. Paik, R. Melton (2022). "Preliminary Trajectory Design Method for Continuous Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers for Planetary Flybys." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 22-833
Evaluation of Low-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers During Planetary Flybys
G. Paik, R. Melton (2021). "Evaluation of Low-Thrust Synergetic Maneuvers During Planetary Flybys." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 21-721
Low-Thrust Multiple Gravity Assist Missions
G. Paik, R. Melton (2020). "Low-Thrust Multiple Gravity Assist Missions." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 20-527
GTOC 9: Results from the Astrodynamics Research Group of Penn State
D. Conte, A. Goodyear, J. Reiter, G. Paik, et al. (2018). "GTOC 9: Results from the Astrodynamics Research Group of Penn State." Acta Futura. Issue 11 on The Kessler Run (pp. 109-115)
The Astrodynamics Research Group of Penn State (ARGoPS) Solution to the 2017 Astrodynamics Specialist Conference Student Competition
Reiter, J. A., D. Conte, A. M. Goodyear, G. Paik, G. He, P. C. Scarcella, M. Nayyar, M. J. Shaw (2017). "The Astrodynamics Research Group of Penn State (ARGoPS) Solution to the 2017 Astrodynamics Specialist Conference Student Competition." AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference. AAS 17-621
Optimal Orbit Raising Via Particle Swarm Optimization
Ghanghoon Paik. (2015). "Optimal Orbit Raising Via Particle Swarm Optimization."