Scientist (Open Rank

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.

The development of an X-Ka wideband receiver spanning 8-38 GHz has begun for the VLBA, enabling new scientific and astrometric capabilities for the instrument. This highly anticipated upgrade will add flexibility and enhance performance by significantly increasing the instantaneous bandwidth available for channelization, enabling access to previously unobservable frequencies, and enabling more efficient and comprehensive spectral studies.

The NRAO is seeking a Scientist, Open Rank (Assistant, Associate, or Scientist) to be the Project Scientist for the VLBA X-Ka Wideband Receiver Project. The appointee will be expected to spend 75% of their time on functional work as part of the VLBA Development Team, with the remaining 25% available for independent research. The primary responsibility of this position is to help oversee the development and integration of a novel X-Ka receiver system being developed for installation on the VLBA.

The appointment will be on the NRAO Scientist track, with starting rank determined by the candidate's experience.

• This position will be a three-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal subject to observatory needs, budget and mutual agreement.
• It will be based in New Mexico at either the Albuquerque or Socorro NRAO office with travel between the two sites as required.

What You Will be Doing

Technical Development and Integration:

• Capture and maintain top level project requirements
• Work with project leadership to develop and maintain project foundation documents
• Organize testing and commissioning campaigns and preparation of test reports
• Help coordinate installation while minimizing impacts to the VLBA observing program
• Prepare material for and participate within project reviews
• Establish standard observing bands
• Participate in trade studies

Community and User Support:

• Communicate with scientific users and external mission partners
• Prepare user- and public-facing documentation such as user guides, news articles, press releases

Scientific Contribution:

• Contribute to the broader VLBA development portfolio by consulting and collaborating with teams on parallel projects like the Next Generation Radar (ng Radar) and the Next Generation VLA (ngVLA).
• Maintain awareness of developments at related astronomical facilities
• Maintain an active independent research program which ideally makes significant use of Observatory facilities

Work Environment

The position is based in an office environment. The successful candidate must be able to work at a computer with detailed and complex textual and numerical information.

Who You Are:

Education

• A PhD. In astronomy or related field

Experience

• At least one year of related experience using radio interferometry for astronomical research

Skills and Competencies

• Strong communication skills in written and oral English
• Strong inter-personal skills
• Familiarity with Linux / Unix operating systems
• Ability to travel

Preferred:

• High-level understanding of the functionality of radio telescopes
• Experience scheduling VLBI experiments
• Experience reducing VLBI data
• Experience with in a leadership team of medium to large projects
• Proficiency in the Python computer language

Additional Requirement

Observatory employees…