- Where
- Charlottesville, VA · Socorro, NM · Albuquerque, NM · West Virginia
- Level
- Senior
Position Description:
Position Summary
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a prestigious research and development organization that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) is a nonprofit organization that manages and operates the NRAO under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Observatory is a hub for technological and scientific collaboration, operating state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. The Observatory has been instrumental in the study of black holes, galaxies, and the early universe.
At NRAO, we are recruiting an experienced Software Engineer to join the Correlator team within the Monitor & Control (M&C) group. The correlators combine the signals from the telescope array, and include the WIDAR correlator and the cluster-based DiFX software correlator. The correlator team is responsible for the software ecosystem around the correlators: gathering input data, correlator configuration and control, standardization of the output, as well as cluster management for the software correlator. The correlator team also contributes to the design of correlation systems for the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA).
This position can be based in Socorro, NM, Albuquerque, NM, Charlottesville, VA or Green Bank, WV. For well qualified candidates, a remote work arrangement may be considered.
What You Will be Doing:
The primary focus of this position will be designing, developing, and maintaining software that interfaces with correlator hardware and the computing systems around it. You will work with senior software engineers, electronics engineers, and scientific staff to refine requirements, design and implement solutions, and document and support them in operations. Activities may include (but are not limited to):
Developing and maintaining software that configures, controls, and monitors correlator hardware, including low-level interfaces to custom hardware and the network and data paths that connect it to other subsystems
Supporting and improving cluster-based correlation (DiFX), including job management, data flow, and performance on compute clusters
Diagnosing and resolving hardware and software problems with engineers and operations staff, including during observing
Prototyping and evaluating interfaces and architectures for ngVLA correlator monitor and control
Building tools for testing, simulation, and diagnostics, and producing documentation for users and maintainers
Additional duties include the maintenance and necessary upgrades of existing software to support operations, and the development of new capabilities to meet the demands of new observing modes and instrumentation. No prior experience in radio astronomy is required.
Work Environment
The successful candidate will join a team of professionals engaged in research and development in the fields of science, engineering, software development, and education. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment. Must be able to operate a personal computer. May occasionally work at high altitudes. Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Who You Are:
Education
A Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, scientific or related field; highly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.
While not required, you may have an advanced degree in a related field.
Experience
Three or more years of experience in the development of software applications; candidates with progressively more experience will be considered for a higher-level position.
Skills and Competencies
Candidates should bring depth in at least one of the following two areas, and interest in growing in the other:
Hardware-oriented: experience interfacing software with custom hardware or instrumentation (for example FPGA-based or other embedded systems), device and network protocols, and real-time or…