Senior Software Engineer

The NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), operated by the National Solar Observatory (NSO), is the world’s largest and most advanced solar telescope, designed to help answer fundamental questions about our Sun and its complex magnetic fields. DKIST, which completed construction and began operations in November 2021 on the summit of Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii is a major program within the NSO.

The NSO, an NSF national research and development center dedicated to solar science, is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). AURA, a consortium of 49 U.S. institutions and 3 international affiliates, operates world-class astronomical observatories. Its role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that drive innovative astronomical research.

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to provide technical leadership and hands‑on development for our High‑Level Software (HLS) systems supporting advanced telescope and instrumentation platforms. This role will solve complex technical challenges, guide engineers and partners, and contribute directly to system design, development, and operations at the DKIST facility.

You will play a key role in delivering robust, scalable software systems that support scientific discovery, collaborating closely with cross‑functional teams across engineering and operations.

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain high‑level software systems for telescope and instrument applications
• Lead complex engineering efforts and provide technical direction to team members and collaborators
• Architect and implement scalable, multi‑threaded, distributed systems
• Support system integration across observatory platforms
• Partner with engineering teams, operations staff, subcontractors, and stakeholders to deliver solutions
• Plan and execute work aligned with technical, schedule, and budget requirements
• Identify and resolve complex problems with minimal direction
• Recommend and implement improvements to systems and processes

• Ensure high‑quality software delivery through testing and best practices
• Support CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks

• Provide software support for summit and science operations as needed
• Participate in system upgrades and new initiatives

• Adhere to safety standards and organizational policies
• Ensure compliance with government award requirements (if applicable)
• Promote a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative work environment

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 10+ years of software development experience, including:
  • 5+ years with Java (including Swing)
  • Experience building multi‑threaded, distributed systems
  • At least 1 year of Python
• Experience with Linux‑based development environments
• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to work from high‑level objectives
• Experience with databases (PostgreSQL or similar)
• Familiarity with Agile development practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

This position involves access to technical data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Pursuant to these regulations, only U.S. persons (as defined in the regulations) are eligible for access to the controlled technical data. A "U.S. person" includes a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or person granted asylum or refugee status.

Applicants must be eligible to access export‑controlled information as defined by U.S. law.

• Experience in scientific, engineering, or large‑scale technical environments
• Knowledge of distributed control systems or observatory/telescope systems
• Experience with:
  • Middleware frameworks (e.g., EPICS, TANGO, DDS, ICE)
  • High‑throughput data systems (GB/s scale)
  • CI/CD pipelines and automated testing
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP)
  • Container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Familiarity with motion control systems (e.g., Beckhoff, Omron, Delta Tau)
• Experienc…