A method for scheduling computing jobs in a scheduling event includes selecting a computing job that is ready for scheduling the first computing job being associated with at least one required resource. A computing node is identified that is able to satisfy the at least one required resource during a first time period having a start time and an end time. A second computing job is determined to have previously been scheduled to execute during a second time period; wherein the second time period overlaps the first time period. At a time prior to scheduling the first computing job, a determination is made as to whether the second computing job is preemptible by the first computing job. If so, execution of the second computing job is preempted by the first computing job if the second computing job has been determined to be preemptible by the first computing job if the priority of the first computing job is greater than the priority of the second computing job by at least a threshold amount, and if preempting the second job frees at least one of the at least one required resource for use by the first computing job. Execution of the first computing job is scheduled to take place on a first computing node during the first time period, where a start time associated with the first time period is a time selected from the group consisting of a current time and a future time.