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System / IT engineer – Technological preparation for the scientific exploitation of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

  • Institution: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Granada, Spain
  • Email inquireslourdes@iaa.es,sse@iaa.es
  • Deadline:  15th July. Full consideration will be given to all applications submitted before the deadline, but the position will remain open to applicants until it is filled.

Context

The AMIGA (Analysis of the interstellar Medium of Isolated Galaxies, http://amiga.iaa.es) group is offering a new position at the IAA-CSIC in Granada for a system / IT engineer to support the team in its preparation for the scientific exploitation of the SKA, a radiotelescope that, once completed, will be the largest scientific infrastructure on Earth (https://spain.skatelescope.org/).

SKA is considered a Big Data machine since it will be the world’s largest generator of scientific data (reaching exa-bytes data rates), whose analysis will require distributed computing infrastructures (DCIs, e.g. Grid, Cloud) that connect powerful computing and high capacity storage resources through high bandwidth networks.

Spain has recently joined the SKA Organisation (https://spain.skatelescope.org/2018/06/19/espana-undecimo-pais-miembro/) thus ensuring the participation of Spanish groups in the scientific exploitation of SKA data and in the construction of the telescope.

The AMIGA team participates in SKA at three levels.

  • Science: by the study of the atomic gas in galaxies, one of the key SKA Science drivers, and co-Chairing the SKA HI Science Working Group.
  • Engineering: as members of the international consortium designing the SKA Science Data Processor and of the H2020 project AENEAS for designing the federated network of European SKA Regional Centres (SRCs). A special emphasis is put on contributing to the incorporation of Open Science principles into the design of SKA and the SRCs.
  • Coordination of the Spanish participation in the SKA.

Profile of the candidates and tasks

The AMIGA team is looking for candidates who will provide the team with support in developing tools for an efficient exploitation of DCIs, making astronomical data and analysis tools shareable across the community according to the principles of Open Science. This engineer will also participate in the management of the hardware, software and data resources of the group.

The successful candidate must possess a PhD/MSc/BSc degree in computer science or related fields (e.g. physics, mathematics). We are looking for a candidate capable of adapting to challenges and changes, and listening and communicating effectively with others in both English and Spanish.

The ideal candidate will have experience with the following:

  • Linux environment and system administration
  • Bash scripting and SQL
  • Software development in Python
  • Source Control Systems (GIT)
  • Cloud computing: Openstack, Linux containers
  • Development of web services and web applications

In addition to the above, knowledge of the following topics would be a distinct advantage:

  • Astrophysics domain software
  • Jupyter Notebooks
  • Science Gateways
  • Distributed Computing Infrastructures

Candidates interested in this position should send an email to the previously indicated address including their CV, a cover letter and at least two reference contacts.

The contract should start as soon as possible, and till the end of 2019, with the possibility of extending it over a longer period of time.  Funds will be available to cover travel expenses.