In one embodiment, a method for scheduling in a high-performance computing (HPC) system includes receiving a call from a management engine that manages a cluster of nodes in the HPC system. The call specifies a request including a job for scheduling. The method further includes determining whether the request is spatial, compact, or nonspatial and noncompact. The method further includes, if the request is spatial, generating one or more spatial combinations of nodes in the cluster and selecting one of the spatial combinations that is schedulable. The method further includes, if the request is compact, generating one or more compact combinations of nodes in the cluster and selecting one of the compact combinations that is schedulable. The method further includes, if the request is nonspatial and noncompact, identifying one or more schedulable nodes and generating a nonspatial and noncompact combination of nodes in the cluster.