National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Position Description
Position Summary
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is recruiting a software engineer to join the Common Astronomy Applications Software (CASA) team for scientific development and infrastructure support. The successful candidate will work as part of a diverse team of software engineers and scientists to support operations for current software and telescopes, as well as to evolve our data reduction and analysis software towards supporting the algorithmic and computing needs of the Next Generation VLA (ngVLA) radio telescope and the upgraded ALMA telescope.
CASA software engineering staff are responsible for all aspects of the software development lifecycle from requirements derivation through design, development, and integration into telescope operations. Eligible candidates must be capable of formulating complex, technical solutions suitable for operational deployment from broad scientific objectives in a research environment. They must possess both software engineering domain knowledge as well as the educational background and ability to understand the basic scientific concepts of radio interferometry. Direct experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desired : hardware acceleration and GPU programming, compilers and build systems for Linux and MacOS, algorithms and software for signal reconstruction and/or radio interferometry data reduction and analysis.
The preferred location for the position will be based at one of the NRAO Sites Charlottesville, VA; Socorro or Albuquerque, NM. Telework and remote work options within the USA may also be considered.
In addition to competitive pay, NRAO provides excellent paid time off benefits (vacation and sick leave). Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment. NRAOs retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participants base pay. No contribution is required of the employee; we also offer an optional supplemental, tax-deferred plan for employee retirement contributions.
Job Duties Summary
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Design, develop, integrate and maintain data reduction capabilities in the CASA codebase, in support of current operations as well as next generation telescopes.
- Adapt and evolve traditional CASA implementations to the more modern data-processing frameworks envisaged and under development for future instruments.
- Build and maintain data processing and analysis software infrastructure necessary for scalable and high performance operations within both the Linux and MacOS operating systems.
- Perform scientific and operational testing of new features, code changes, and release packages, working with stakeholders and the development team to understand context, usage modes, implications and scope.
- Operate in a team environment, including with the broader NRAO scientific staff and world-wide CASA stakeholder community.
- Take ownership of a subset of functionality within CASA and provide technical direction, decision making, and subject matter expertise in that area, with limited guidance or specific direction.
Work Environment
Work is typically performed in an office setting within a research or development environment. Domestic and international travel will be required.
Position Requirements
Minimum Education
A Bachelors degree in computer science or related field. Equivalent work experience may also be considered.
Preferred Education
Advanced degree and background that includes Scientific or High Performance Computing, Physics or Mathematics is highly desired.
Minimum Experience
At least one year of direct or related experience in scientific research and software development, commensurate with stated qualifications. Candidates with progressively more responsible experience will be considered for a higher-level position ranking.
Competency Summary
- Experience with large development projects in C++ and Python and associated software life cycles.
- Familiarity with high performance computing platforms (Dask, Numba/NumPy, cuPy, Cuda-C++, Docker/Kubernetes, etc), and concepts such as distributed data storage, parallel I/O, parallel processing on CPUs and GPUs, and memory caching.
- Familiarity with build systems (CMake/QMake) on Linux and MacOS, test automation, containerization and container orchestration.
- Familiarity with scientific software development, numerical processing techniques, linear algebra, digital signal processing concepts, and mathematical packages such as Python/NumPy.
- Familiarity with the scientific and operational needs of a variety of radio astronomy data reduction pipelines, projects, and individual researchers.
- Ability to learn new scientific concepts and apply learning to engineering implementation, specifically in radio astronomy and interferometry.
Application Instructions
Click the Apply button below. You will need to be prepared to upload your current CV/Resume and a letter of application describing interest and suitability for the position.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
AUI is an equal opportunity employer. Women, Minorities, Vietnam-Era Veterans, Disabled Veterans, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. To view our complete statement, please visit http://jobs.jobvite.com/nrao/jobs. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email to resumes@nrao.edu.
The NRAO is an equal opportunity employer (M/F/D/V)
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
PM20
PI217804842