Manager of Telescope Operations

Contract type**:Permanent Job Level: Management**

Work Location**:Cape Town, Western Cape**

The Company supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of the Company 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 Companies activities in the Square Kilometer Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction. The Company is a National Facility managed by the The Company and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT telescope 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 purpose of this position is to manage a team of Telescope Operators who are responsible to ensure that science observations produce valid and quality science data, managing the failure reporting system and processes, and interfacing with both engineering and maintenance staff to correct system failures in order to maximize the efficiency of the radio telescope.

**Key Responsibilities**:
*
Managing a team of Telescope Operators responsible for observations and the collection science data
- Managing budget and financial performance of the department
- Reporting of activities and the performance of the telescope operations in various meetings
- Ensuring that telescope operations meets annual targets set by management
- Liaising with Engineering and Maintenance teams on their requirements for the telescope maintenance and bug fixes activities
- Determining on the prioritization of the observations schedule versus telescope maintenance
- Creating and implementing telescope standard operating procedures and training manuals
Coordinating telescope activities with commissioning scientists to improve system* efficiency
- Utilizing radio astronomy to promote public outreach and education
- Training of new Telescope Operators

**Key Requirements**:
**_Qualification: _**
- Bachelor's degree (Electrical, Electronics, Industrial, or Software Engineering)

**OR**
- Bachelor’s degree (Physics, Astronomy, Applied Mathematics, Mathematics or Computer Science)

**_Experience: _**
- Ten (10) years working experience in an operation, maintenance and development environment of which 3 years should be in a managerial capacity
- Managing staff
- Development of operating procedures and user training manuals
- Operating an interferometer radio telescope (Advantageous)
- Developing software observational tools to enhance Operations (Advantageous)

**Knowledge**:

- Budgeting and financial management procedures.
- Fault tracking and reporting system
- Health & Safety and RFI compliance requirements
- Quality assurance of science data
- Acceptance, Verification and Integration process
- Project management and project management tools
- Performance management process

**_Abilities, personal qualities & skills: _**
- Excellent technical problem-solving skills
- Ability to persuade, motivate and lead others
- Ability to communicate clearly on technical issues to non-specialist and senior level audiences.
- High level planning and strong organizational skills.
- Ability to partner with cross-functional support teams in improving the efficiency of the telescope system
- Ensure operational activities remain on time and within a defined space of time
- Ability to contribute to the strategic objective of the division
- Driving to other sites when required.
- Good verbal communication skills

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: R15,000.00 - R45,000.00 per month

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Cape Town, Western Cape: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (required)