Vacant Post – Ska Mid – Senior Pipeline Engineer Skao/Sarao

Contract type:
Permanent

Job Level:
Management

Work Location:
Cape Town, Western Cape

Closing Date: 28 April 2024

The National Research Foundation (NRF) ) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) ) spearheads South Africa's activities in the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction.

SARAO is a National Facility managed by the National Research Foundation and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (AVN) programme in nine African countries as well as the associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours.

The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) ) is a next-generation global radio-astronomy facility that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics.

It is one observatory with two telescopes – SKA-Mid in South Africa and SKA-Low in Western Australia.

South Africa is a co-host member of the SKAO, an intergovernmental organisation headquartered at Jodrell Bank (near Manchester in the United Kingdom) responsible for SKAO construction and operations globally.

The Senior Pipeline Engineer will provide subject matter expertise to the SKA-Mid Computing and Software Telescope Operations team in the analysis, development, operation and maintenance of the Mid telescope astronomy pipelines and other data analysis products such as the QA matrices.

They're responsible for the identification, research and analysis of the problem sets, investigation of potential solutions, implementation, testing and verification of such solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop and improve data processing telescope software and data products.
• Documentation and testing of the pipeline and data processing software
• Support deployment of releases
• Respond to system incidents and provide support for the SKA-Mid telescope data processing pipelines and software
• Participate in SKA-MID Computing and Software Operations planning and continuous improvement
• Be an integral, senior member of SKA-Mid Computing and Software operations teams, providing regular operations support for the Mid telescope's data processing capability.
• Provide senior support to the more junior team members during operations, and be their point of escalation.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with members of other SKAO teams.
• Work with other subsystems' team members to respond to inter-team and system-level issues.
• Maintain external links with professional and/or specialist bodies, communities or groups.
• Participate in telescope-wide and integration activities and events and represent SKA-Mid Data Processing interests and issues
• Represent the SKAO (and the Computing and Software of SKA in South Africa in particular) at international meetings with partner and peer organisations.
• Adhere to the spirit and practice of both SKAO and SARAO/NRF Values as well as the Code of Conduct, Health, Safety and Environment procedures and policy, Diversity initiatives and Making Safety Personal goals.

Key Requirements:

Qualification:

• A Degree/ Master's/ PHD in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, or related, applied/interdisciplinary sciences

Experience:

• A Degree coupled with 9 years' relevant working experience or Master's Degree coupled with 7 years' relevant working experience or PHD coupled with 5 years' relevant working experience in astronomy, astrophysics, or related, applied/interdisciplinary sciences
• Experience in development, testing, deployment, commissioning, release and support of scientific software or data analytics projects
• Experience developing scientific software using Python and Python libraries, or similar languages
• Experience working with Radio astronomy software packages, e.g. CASA, MeqTREES

Knowledge:

• Experience in Radio astronomy data analysis calibration and imaging techniques and tools
• Knowledge of Radio Astronomy instrumentation and observatory practices
• Experience in performing data-driven astronomy research
• Experience in Software development, preferably scientific programming using Python and Python libraries
• Experience in large science data curation, manipulation, transfer, management and archival
• Experience and understanding of system architecture concepts
• An understanding of scaled agile methodologies and DevOps processes
• Knowledge of Systems Engineering and systems delivery practices
• Experience working in interdisciplinary environments and matrix teams during some project phases such as integration, deployment, testing, verification as well as during telescope operations.
• Effective communication and collaborative work within teams, and with other subject matter experts
• Ability to develop and convey a technical and business vision to both stakeholders and development or support teams

Additional Notes:
Skills/Ability/Competencies

Essential:

• Strong quantitative research skills in a relevant or translatable area
• A record of publication of scientific articles in an area of expertise, demonstrating ability to conduct research and collaboration with peers
• Radio Astronomy data and science products analysis
• Radio Interferometer telescopes scheduling, observation and calibration techniques
• Radio astronomy data cleansing, calibration techniques and tools
• Scientific software and pipelines development using Python and Python libraries, e.g. NumPy, SciPy. MatPlotlib
• Radio Astronomy data formats and other formal or informal standards
• IT and Information systems analysis, design, implementation, integration, delivery and operations
• Agile approaches to systems development
• IT systems architecture concepts
• An understanding of DevOps processes (CI/CD)
• Data curation, transfer, management, archival and governance
• IT Services, Operations and Support

Desirable:

• Knowledge of Radio Astronomy techniques, instrumentation and observatory practices
• Mentorship and upskilling of more junior developers or colleagues who may need your expertise
• Commissioning of scientific instruments
• Ability to work as part of a globally distributed team, which may include travel or accommodating work in different timezones
• Ability to communicate effectively to a wide audience and a wide range of stakeholders, gathering information and distilling information and tailoring it appropriately for the target audience.
• Ability to reliably estimate and plan software developments with long (multi-year) time horizons
• Health, Safety and Environment
• Organizational governance and administration

Related Skills:

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Cooperates with others to achieve organisational objectives. Collaborates with other teams as well as industry colleagues. Sharing skills and knowledge with, mentoring and motivating team members as required.
• Influence and Communication: Identifies critical stakeholders and influences them via an influential third party, for example through an established network, to gain support for sometimes contentious proposals / ideas.
• Judgement and

Problem Solving:
Anticipates and manages problems in ambiguous situations. Develops and selects an appropriate course of action and provides for contingencies.

Evaluates, interprets and integrates complex bodies of information and draws logical conclusions, synthesises proposals and defends options with reasoned arguments.

• Independence: AS senior developer, work independently in assessing, analyzing and implementing and verifying potential solutions to complex technical challenges.
• Adaptability: Demonstrates flexibility in thinking and adapts to and manages the increasing rate of organisational change by adjusting strategies, goals and priorities.

Organisational Values

The SKA-Mid Senior Pipeline Engineer will be expected to demonstrate the SARAO and SKAO's values, and to work actively to instil those behaviours in all SKA-Mid staff in South Africa.

SKAO's values are:

• Diversity and Inclusion
• Excellence
• Collaboration
• Creativity and Innovation
• Sustainability

SARAO's values are:

• Passion for Excellence
• World-class service
• People-centered
• Respect
• Integrity and Ethics
• Accountability

Both SARAO and SKAO value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work.

We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance.

Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is important to you, please raise this during your interview, as we are open to discussing flexible working opportunities during the hiring process.

Information:
The website provides more details on the NRF initiatives and activities.

Applications:
Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by logging to and apply online. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant's suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

Closing Date: 28 April 2024
The NRF offers a challenging career and competitive remuneration package which is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The NRF is committed to employment equity and redress and the appointment to the position will be made in line with the NRF Employment Equity Plan.

The NRF reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Correspondence will be sent to short-listed candidates only

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