EAS Job Directory

The Product Assurance (PA) team is made up of a small team of engineers in the Assurance Department of the SKAO. The team is responsible for the definition and implementation of the quality assurance and control activities for the MeerKAT Extension and SKA Projects. The MeerKAT Extension Project will construct and incorporate 20 radio dishes into the now operational MeerKAT telescope (currently consists of 64 radio dishes and it is a precursor to the SKA telescope). The Extended MeerKAT will be used to perform science program during the time leading up to the MeerKAT integration into the SKA telescope.

The PA team is led by the Product Assurance Manager. The Product Assurance Engineer will be responsible for the practical implementation of the quality assurance requirements of the SKA project, providing regular updates to the Product Assurance Manager and the project team. This requires regular contact with the contractors to review and evaluate their work outputs at the different stages of the contract to ensure that their solutions comply with requirements, applicable standards and regulations; enlisting the support of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) as needed when carrying out these activities.  Thus, the Product Assurance Engineer plays a major role in assuring the quality of the delivered products and their subsequent integration into the SKA telescope system.

The PA required for the SKA will involve several challenges which are unique to research infrastructures; the successful candidate will be one who can rise to these challenges and overcome them to help deliver a world leading facility creating new insights into the workings of the Universe.

The successful candidate will be close to the works, which are mostly at contractors sites, the SKA test facilities and the telescope construction sites. Thus, there will be some travels to these facilities and sites located in different countries, including South Africa, Australia, China, Canada and European countries. Some duties may require extended stays of up to 3 months in site countries on occasion if this is possible within future visa parameters.

For the SKA contracts, the NEC4 contracting framework will be used. In all forms of NEC contract, the successful candidate will work with the SKA Project Managers and the different Contractors, and act as stated in the applicable NEC4 contracts.

The main functions of this role include:

Quality Management System

• Contribute to the development of each Statement of Work to ensure quality requirements are clearly specified in contracts


• Review contractors’ quality policy statements and plans to enable the Project Managers to accept them


• Monitor the implementation of the contractors’ quality plans


• Work with Subject Matter Experts, Project Managers, and contractors to identify critical items and raise early warnings, and follow up with their resolution


• Liaise with the Project Managers to ensure relevant disciplines – especially in specific risk areas – are available on the client side to support the quality assurance activities


• Regularly report to the Project Managers and project team on the overall implementation of the contractors’ quality plans


• Support the Product Assurance Manager in the arrangement and conduct of Quality Audits


• Convene, attend and minute meetings including Early Warning meetings where related to product quality


• Log Learning from Experience (LfE) for all activities and ensure they are embodied in entry criteria into all reviews


• Maintain quality records that include contractor’s progress records including where applicable imagery

Tests and Inspections

• Review contractor’s test and inspection plans


• Clarify with the contractor those products which the scope states are to be tested or inspected before receiving and delivery to working areas


• Ensure that off-site tests or inspections are passed before items are delivered


• Identify and clarify with the contractors the standards to be applied in the manufacture, assembly, integration, inspection and test activities of the project


• Carry out planned mandatory inspections to assess the manufacturing, assembly, integration, inspections and test operations that are performed by the contractors to ensure they comply with the quality requirements, applicable standards and regulations


• Incorporate the considerations of SKA Safety Management in the scrutiny of test and inspection results


• Monitor, witness and report on tests and inspections activities


• Advise the Project Manager on the outputs of test and inspection activities that might affect payments and completion

Defect Notifications

• Notify contractor of nonconformances and defects


• Ensure all nonconformances are timely resolved in accordance with the agreed non-conformance management process


• Ensure the Defects Register are up to date throughout the duration of the contract


• Advise the Project Manager regarding the acceptance of defects and uncorrected defects


• Issue Defects Certificate


Non-academic Job Offer 1284 submitted on Sun Jan 03 15:28:32 CET 2021

The System Engineering division at the SKA maintains the Observatory technical definition and compliance along with analysis for change control. It manages system requirements and interfaces and ensures the technical adequacy of verification. 

The System Engineering division is responsible for the definition of technical process: Requirements, Architecture, Design, Analysis, Integration, Verification and Validation in accordance with standard ISO/IEC 15288.

The System Engineer division works closely with other business functions such as Project Engineering, Software Engineering, Project Management and Mission Assurance to meet project milestones.

This role will report to the Senior Systems Engineer for the Observatory and will be part of team of six system engineers. This particular role will take on responsibility for complex system engineering tasks. This will require an expert in problem solving and system thinking.   

Understand and interpret user requirements, system and product requirements, functional and non-functional requirements.

Maintain functional architecture throughout the project lifecycle and functional diagram when required.

Define tests to demonstrate design compliance, ensuring end-to-end traceability.

Plans, organises and manages gateway reviews and peer reviews

Manages system baseline documents, including systems requirements documents, interface documents, engineering diagrams, and instrumentation diagrams throughout the whole lifecycle of the system.

Support system integration, verification and validation to test and analyze performance and compliance.

Work effectively in a matrix style of organisation, working effectively with a range of stakeholders internal and external to the Observatory.

Solve organisational and project challenges as they pertain to system engineering activity.

Take part in the acceptance testing such as FAT (factory acceptance test) at supplier premises and  ITF (integration test facility) in host countries and SAT (Site acceptance test) to ensure compliance of the delivery and subsequently advise on corrective actions when necessary.

University degree in maths, physics, science or engineering or equivalent experience.

Membership of, or eligibility for, membership of, recognised national or international system engineering institutes

Considerable experience (typically at least 10 years of experience) of system engineering with proven technical knowledge and experience 

Experience in system engineering lifecycle stages, processes, and gate reviews, working in a multidisciplinary team.

An expert understanding and experience of using system thinking techniques and methodology.

Proficiency in requirement definitions, traceability and evidence based compliance using JAMA or DOORS.

Industry experience, and/or a track record in successful collaborative links with industry.

Demonstrable understanding and enthusiasm for working based on lean/agile principles.

Self-motivated with an ability to problem solve and make effective decisions within a project with design complexity and uncertainty

Excellent communication and influencing skills with distributed, highly specialised project teams and stakeholders, across international boundaries and time zones, involving a wide range of cultures and backgrounds.

A flexible team player who is adaptable to change.

Able and willing to travel to SKA partner sites world-wide as necessary and when possible in the context of any international travel restrictions (travel for this sort of role has typically been for up to one week 4-6 times per year).

Able and willing to represent the SKA Office in international and other forums, able to work closely with regional SKA management staff from a variety of cultures, and willingness to travel to SKA members' countries.

Knowledge of SAFE, agile, scrum, RAM and/or safety

Experience in at least one of the aforementioned areas  (SAFE, agile, scrum, RAM, safety)

Experience of commissioning large complex systems

Demonstrable interest in astronomy, with an understanding of the challenges of telescopes like the SKA.

Recognised regionally or internationally for technical skills and experience with unique, authoratitive knowledge in the field of systems engineering

The System Engineering division at the SKA maintains the Observatory technical definition and compliance along with analysis for change control. It manages system requirements and interfaces and ensures the technical adequacy of verification. 

The System Engineering division is responsible for the definition of technical process: Requirements, Architecture, Design, Analysis, Integration, Verification and Validation in accordance with standard ISO/IEC 15288.

The System Engineer division works closely with other business functions such as Project Engineering, Software Engineering, Project Management and Mission Assurance to meet project milestones.

This role will report to the Senior Systems Engineer for the Observatory and will be part of team of six system engineers. This particular role will take on responsibility for complex system engineering tasks. This will require an expert in problem solving and system thinking.   

Understand and interpret user requirements, system and product requirements, functional and non-functional requirements.

Maintain functional architecture throughout the project lifecycle and functional diagram when required.

Define tests to demonstrate design compliance, ensuring end-to-end traceability.

Plans, organises and manages gateway reviews and peer reviews

Manages system baseline documents, including systems requirements documents, interface documents, engineering diagrams, and instrumentation diagrams throughout the whole lifecycle of the system.

Support system integration, verification and validation to test and analyze performance and compliance.

Work effectively in a matrix style of organisation, working effectively with a range of stakeholders internal and external to the Observatory.

Solve organisational and project challenges as they pertain to system engineering activity.

Take part in the acceptance testing such as FAT (factory acceptance test) at supplier premises and  ITF (integration test facility) in host countries and SAT (Site acceptance test) to ensure compliance of the delivery and subsequently advise on corrective actions when necessary.

University degree in maths, physics, science or engineering or equivalent experience.

Membership of, or eligibility for, membership of, recognised national or international system engineering institutes

Considerable experience (typically at least 10 years of experience) of system engineering with proven technical knowledge and experience 

Experience in system engineering lifecycle stages, processes, and gate reviews, working in a multidisciplinary team.

An expert understanding and experience of using system thinking techniques and methodology.

Proficiency in requirement definitions, traceability and evidence based compliance using JAMA or DOORS.

Industry experience, and/or a track record in successful collaborative links with industry.

Demonstrable understanding and enthusiasm for working based on lean/agile principles.

Self-motivated with an ability to problem solve and make effective decisions within a project with design complexity and uncertainty

Excellent communication and influencing skills with distributed, highly specialised project teams and stakeholders, across international boundaries and time zones, involving a wide range of cultures and backgrounds.

A flexible team player who is adaptable to change.

Able and willing to travel to SKA partner sites world-wide as necessary and when possible in the context of any international travel restrictions (travel for this sort of role has typically been for up to one week 4-6 times per year).

Able and willing to represent the SKA Office in international and other forums, able to work closely with regional SKA management staff from a variety of cultures, and willingness to travel to SKA members' countries.

Knowledge of SAFE, agile, scrum, RAM and/or safety

Experience in at least one of the aforementioned areas  (SAFE, agile, scrum, RAM, safety)

Experience of commissioning large complex systems

Demonstrable interest in astronomy, with an understanding of the challenges of telescopes like the SKA.

Recognised regionally or internationally for technical skills and experience with unique, authoratitive knowledge in the field of systems engineering

We are seeking to fill two positions, one as Director of the SKA-Mid Telescope, the other as Director of SKA-Low. This advert is for the Director of the SKA-Mid Telescope.

The Director will establish and ultimately lead the operations of one of two SKA telescopes, a complex, high-tech, state-of-the art scientific facility, with staff and elements of the respective telescope systems located at a Science Operations Centre, an Engineering Operations Centre, a Science Processing Centre, and at the remote telescope site. The Telescope Director will have a high degree of autonomy, but the successful candidates will also be responsible for instilling a cohesive approach to Telescope operations, and will be an inclusive and collaborative leader.

Working initially as part of a small team based at the relevant SKA Science Operations Centre (SOC), the Telescope Director will lead a rapidly-growing cohort working at the SOC, the Engineering Operations Centre (EOC) and at the remote telescope site. The Telescope Director will be responsible for growing and implementing local operations activities according to the SKA Operations Plan, and will provide input to the continued evolution of the operational model of the Observatory as a whole.  

During the Construction Phase, currently expected to last until 2028, the Telescope Director will work closely with the relevant Site Construction Director to ensure coordination of all SKAO activities. This period of overlap between the ramp up of the operations team and the extensive multi-national construction project will extend over nearly a decade, and the role of the Telescope Directors will be to establish the operational entities, more or less from scratch, managing a complex environment and set of relationships and stakeholders.

The Telescope Director will report to the Director of Operations, and will be a member of the SKAO Executive Group and the broader Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Once the Observatory enters the Operations Phase, the Telescope Director will be the most senior representative of the Observatory in the relevant Telescope Host Country.

The Telescope Director will direct the operations activities of all SKA staff based in the relevant telescope Host Country – comprising employees of SKAO and of the relevant partner organisation (SARAO in the case of SKA-Mid). The Telescope Director will be responsible for all in-country SKA operations of the SKA-Mid Telescope, including the data flow and related systems, and will be accountable for their execution. The Telescope Director will be supported by a Telescope Deputy Director, who will be employed by the relevant partner organisation and will report to the Telescope Director. The Telescope Director and Telescope Deputy Director will be expected to work closely together.

The Telescope Director will work with the Director of Operations to ensure effective delivery of the SKA mission, the alignment of the operation of the relevant telescope with SKA Observatory policy and practice, and a high degree of consistency between the operations of the two SKA Telescopes. The Telescope Director will be a key player in ensuring the SKA Operations is consistent with the SKA ethos of One Observatory, Two Telescopes, Three Continents.

As a member of SKAO’s Executive Group, the Telescope Director will work closely with other senior SKA leaders to ensure a very close coupling between the Executive Group and telescope operations, will contribute to prioritisation and both strategic and operational planning of future development of the Observatory, and will be the key representative of Telescope Host Country issues at the Executive.

Under the direction of the SKA Director of Operations, the SKA-Mid Telescope Director will:

• Lead all elements of the operation of SKA-Mid in the Telescope Host Country;


• Represent the SKA Observatory’s interests in the relevant Telescope Host Country, including cultivating and managing strategic relationships in South Africa and communicating the SKA’s vision, especially as they relate to Telescope Operations, on behalf of the Director of Operations and the Director-General;


• Oversee the recruitment of the SKA-Mid operations team in South Africa;


• Direct all SKA-Mid operations staff in South Africa;


• Supervise the SKA-Mid Telescope Deputy Director;


• Finalise and implement the SKAO Establishment and Delivery Plan as it relates to the operation of SKA-Mid, working with the Director of Operations to ensure consistency with SKA policies and procedures;


• Work closely with the relevant SKA’s Telescope Host Country partner (SARAO) to ensure the safe, effective and efficient operation of SKA-Mid;


• Foster a collaborative relationship between local business enabling staff and the function leads at GHQ, ensuring consistency of practice;


• Work closely with the relevant SKA Site Construction Director during the SKA Construction Phase, especially in relation to the commissioning and early science of the telescope;


• Facilitate the close interaction between the Observatory and the SKA Regional Centre in the relevant Telescope Host Country;


• Assume responsibility for the setting of operational priorities and resource planning;


• Assume responsibility for the budget and financial reporting for in-country telescope operations;


• Provide regular information and status reports to the Director of Operations and Director-General as required.

The duties of the Telescope Director are not limited to the above and a flexible approach and ability to adapt to an evolving situation is required.

The role will be based at the relevant SOC (Cape Town). Regular travel between the SOC, EOC and remote telescope site in South Africa will be required. Periodic travel

We are seeking to fill two positions, one as Director of the SKA-Low Telescope, the other as Director of SKA-Mid. This advert is for the Director of the SKA-Low Telescope.

The Director will establish and ultimately lead the operations of one of two SKA telescopes, a complex, high-tech, state-of-the art scientific facility, with staff and elements of the respective telescope systems located at a Science Operations Centre, an Engineering Operations Centre, a Science Processing Centre, and at the remote telescope site. The Telescope Director will have a high degree of autonomy, but the successful candidates will also be responsible for instilling a cohesive approach to Telescope operations, and will be an inclusive and collaborative leader.

Working initially as part of a small team based at the relevant SKA Science Operations Centre (SOC), the Telescope Director will lead a rapidly-growing cohort working at the SOC, the Engineering Operations Centre (EOC) and at the remote telescope site. The Telescope Director will be responsible for growing and implementing local operations activities according to the SKA Operations Plan, and will provide input to the continued evolution of the operational model of the Observatory as a whole.  

During the Construction Phase, currently expected to last until 2028, the Telescope Director will work closely with the relevant Site Construction Director to ensure coordination of all SKAO activities. This period of overlap between the ramp up of the operations team and the extensive multi-national construction project will extend over nearly a decade, and the role of the Telescope Directors will be to establish the operational entities, more or less from scratch, managing a complex environment and set of relationships and stakeholders.

The Telescope Director will report to the Director of Operations, and will be a member of the SKAO Executive Group and the broader Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Once the Observatory enters the Operations Phase, the Telescope Director will be the most senior representative of the Observatory in the relevant Telescope Host Country.

The Telescope Director will direct the operations activities of all SKA staff based in the relevant telescope Host Country – comprising employees of SKAO and of the relevant partner organisation (CSIRO in the case of SKA-Low). The Telescope Director will be responsible for all in-country SKA operations of the SKA-Low Telescope, including the data flow and related systems, and will be accountable for their execution. The Telescope Director will be supported by a Telescope Deputy Director, who will be employed by the relevant partner organisation and will report to the Telescope Director. The Telescope Director and Telescope Deputy Director will be expected to work closely together.

The Telescope Director will work with the Director of Operations to ensure effective delivery of the SKA mission, the alignment of the operation of the relevant telescope with SKA Observatory policy and practice, and a high degree of consistency between the operations of the two SKA Telescopes. The Telescope Director will be a key player in ensuring the SKA Operations is consistent with the SKA ethos of One Observatory, Two Telescopes, Three Continents.

As a member of SKAO’s Executive Group, the Telescope Director will work closely with other senior SKA leaders to ensure a very close coupling between the Executive Group and telescope operations, will contribute to prioritisation and both strategic and operational planning of future development of the Observatory, and will be the key representative of Telescope Host Country issues at the Executive.

Under the direction of the SKA Director of Operations, the SKA-Low Telescope Director will:

• Lead all elements of the operation of SKA-Low in the relevant Telescope Host Country;


• Represent the SKA Observatory’s interests in the relevant Telescope Host Country, including cultivating and managing strategic relationships in Australia and communicating the SKA’s vision, especially as they relate to Telescope Operations, on behalf of the Director of Operations and the Director-General;


• Oversee the recruitment of the SKA-Low operations team in Australia;


• Direct all SKA-Low operations staff in Australia;


• Supervise the SKA-Low Telescope Deputy Director;


• Finalise and implement the SKAO Establishment and Delivery Plan as it relates to the operation of SKA-Low, working with the Director of Operations to ensure consistency with SKA policies and procedures;


• Work closely with the relevant SKA’s Telescope Host Country partner (CSIRO) to ensure the safe, effective and efficient operation of SKA-Low;


• Foster a collaborative relationship between local business enabling staff and the function leads at GHQ, ensuring consistency of practice;


• Work closely with the relevant SKA Site Construction Director during the SKA Construction Phase, especially in relation to the commissioning and early science of the telescope;


• Facilitate the close interaction between the Observatory and the SKA Regional Centre in the relevant Telescope Host Country;


• Assume responsibility for the setting of operational priorities and resource planning;


• Assume responsibility for the budget and financial reporting for in-country telescope operations;


• Provide regular information and status reports to the Director of Operations and Director-General as required.

The duties of the Telescope Director are not limited to the above and a flexible approach and ability to adapt to an evolving situation is required.

The role will be based at the relevant SOC (Perth). Regular travel between the SOC, EOC and remote telescope site in Western Australia will be required. Periodic travel.

The SKA Regional Centres (SRCs) will be organisations in SKA member countries which together will provide a collection of both services and infrastructure that will comprise a global capability to distribute, process and curate the data from the SKA telescopes. 

The SKA Computing and Software team is looking for a talented System Architect to work with the SRC stakeholders to develop the federated architecture that will support the essential requirements and quality attributes needed to deliver this capability. This is a senior role that poses an exciting challenge for the right appointee, offering a high degree of visibility and an opportunity to shape the architecture of the diverse applications being developed by the SKA technical community and serving a wide range of SKA scientific users. The high profile of the SKA could also result in significant influence on the wider High Performance Computing community. 

The SRC Architect will report to the SKA Head of Computing and Software, with dotted-line reporting to the Director of Operations, and will work closely with:

• The SRC Project Scientist, who is responsible for defining the requirements and quality attributes of the SRCs and their federated behaviour;


• The SRC technical development teams that are being formed to support the individual SRCs in each member country;


• The SKA Software Development teams, which will be developing the software for the SKA telescopes, in particular the teams involved in Science Data Handling and Processing.


• The SRC Steering Committee, and its successor, that will coordinate the design, development and operation of the SRCs in the future.


• The SKA Operations Group, which will be responsible for operating the telescopes and, in conjunction with the SRC governance bodies, for the operational relationship between the Observatory and the SRCs.

The priority for the SRC Architect over the first 12-18 months will be to work with stakeholders to define the technical architecture of the SRC Network with the goal of bringing the design through a successful external Critical Design Review.

It is intended that the future development of SRC Network capabilities will be managed within the overall SKA Scaled Agile Framework, and this role will operate at the program level of an SRC Agile Release Train. However, elements of this role will evolve as the governance structure of the SRCs, currently under discussion, is defined.

The main functions of this role will be to:

• Work as a System architect at the program level of the Scaled Agile Framework to deliver the SRC technical capabilities;


• Work with other SKA architects, and development teams in the SRCs (and their precursors), to develop a coherent system architecture for the SRCs that meets the requirements of the stakeholders, whilst still preserving sufficient diversity for the individual SRCs to take advantage of their local conditions;


• Work with the stakeholders to continually re-examine the requirements for the SRCs;


• Define, along with the SRC governance bodies and the SRC technical teams, a coherent set of measurable technical criteria and service levels that define the accreditation requirements for SRCs;


• Act as the SKA technical contact for the SRCs.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience
The successful applicant for this role shall:

• Recognised university degree-level education/training in computer science, engineering, science or related relevant discipline;


• Have an excellent understanding of the fundamentals of system architecture;


• Have significant experience in the design and architecture of large federated information management and data science systems;


• Previous experience of working effectively within a political environment where direct control of resources is not possible;


• Have a good understanding of new and emerging technologies and roadmaps in federated information systems;


• Be able to demonstrate understanding and enthusiasm for working based on lean/agile principles, continually iterating plans and solving problems to adjust to changing circumstances.


• Have excellent communication and influencing skills with distributed, highly specialised project teams and stakeholders, across international boundaries and time zones, involving a wide range of cultures and backgrounds;


• Be a flexible team player who is adaptable to change;


• Have the ability to travel world-wide as necessary and when possible in the context of any international travel restrictions (travel for this sort of role has typically been for up to one week 4-6 times per year).

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience
The ideal candidate would also:

• Have experience working within a large agile development, particularly ones based on the Scaled Agile Framework;


• Have experience in managing a small team;


• Demonstrable interest in astronomy, with an understanding of the challenges of supporting world leading telescopes or other large science facilities.

Working as a member of the SAFe Product Management team with key internal and external SKA stakeholders, including the Lead Product Manager, Head of Science Operations and the SKA System Scientist, the post holder will:

• Be a member of the Product Management Team to develop and communicate the roadmap for the SKA Observatory’s software development programme.


• Define and prioritise the content of the programme backlog.


• Develop work tasks and features and explain them to the teams.


• Define acceptance criteria for the work under their ownership and be responsible for accepting the results of the work carried out.


• Assist with defining telescope commissioning and system integration tasks under the direction of the System Scientist. 


• Work with the Product Management Team to establish the vision for the SKA Observatory software development programme, and communicate that vision to the teams and stakeholders.


• Be an expert stakeholder for the teams.


• Attend Programme Increment (PI) planning meetings (every 3 months) to prioritise and plan future work and report on work carried out.


• Communicate and work with the teams so that they understand the backlog items, their features, objectives and priorities.


• Work with stakeholders to understand and define program objectives.

The post holder will have:

• A PhD, or equivalent, in Astronomy, Physics, Computer Science or a closely related field, or equivalent experience in a professional scientific operational capacity.


• Significant experience of software development in a scientific environment preferably in a (radio) astronomy setting, or equivalent.


• Experience with the operation of (radio) observatories and the software control of and interface with instrumentation, including their monitoring and data acquisition.


• Able to resolve mutifaceted and complex problems, developing joined up solutions and managing workloads and targets in a dynamic and collaborative environment.


• Ability to build effective working relationships and influence with engineers and scientists from a variety of cultures.


• The capability and willingness to work in a team as a flexible, adaptable team player, able to work to deadlines.


• Excellent communication skills in English, especially with highly specialised project teams, able to translate technical concepts into clear guidance and advice.


• Willingness to occasionally travel, nationally and internationally.

• Experience in a similar role within a Software Development Project in a Scientific/Astronomical environment.


• Agile certification (Scaled Agile Program Consultant, BCS Agile Practitioner certification or similar).


• Project management experience in a software development environment.


• Experience of leading project teams

At SKAO, we?re coordinating a global effort to deliver the largest science facility on the planet. The SKA will be a next-generation radio telescope that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development.

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, it will be one observatory, operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, SKAO will soon join only a handful of other science infrastructures in becoming an intergovernmental organisation.

Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKA teams in Australia & South Africa and as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.

Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us

Specific job responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Responsibility for the LOW System Assembly, Integration and Verification (AIV) processes for SKAO, in coordination with the LOW System Engineers and Mission Assurance Team.


• Defines governing verification plans, procedures, processes and appropriate tools and uses these to monitor and control verification activities. Ownership of the Verification flow of the LOW telescope.


• Leading the SKA Integrated Team in guiding and supporting the AIV process up to science Verification. The AIV LOW Lead Engineer is the authority for product acceptance, installation, integration and engineering commissioning/verification, co-leads science commissioning and supports science verification


• Responsibility in developing and managing out the Professional Services Contracts (LOW AIV PDT) needed for the System AIV preparation and execution.


• During the verification phase on site, the AIV Lead Engineer  will maintain overall responsibility for coordination of AIV activities on site, in collaboration with the Site Manager


• Undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the SKA Project Engineer or a member of SKA Organization Senior Management


• Undertake training in the financial, occupational health and safety, and human resource management procedures applicable to the SKA or its partners


• Travel, as required, not only limited to the SKA partner countries

• University degree in Engineering or Physics, another closely related and relevant field, or equivalent expertise;


• Strong systems engineering background in a complex systems development environment


• Proven experience in AIV for large and complex projects in a leading role of integrated teams;


• Strong leadership skills and interpersonal soft skills; able to drive the establishment of a proactive and dynamic team culture where all team members are encouraged and supported to operate to their full capability.


• Experience in international projects with the ability to work effectively with and engineers and scientists from a variety of cultures, including in projects with in-kind contribution organisation.


• Good overall Systems, Software and Hardware integration experience.


• Managing technical and engineering change across internal stakeholders


• Good English oral and written communication skills and the ability to influence people in widely differing parts of a complex organisation.


• Willing to travel, nationally and internationally, and work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends;

• Familiarity with telescopes based on radio interferometry, including experience with debugging interferometers at an early stage of development.


• Membership of, or eligibility for, recognised national or international system engineering institutes;

This role will be known internally as a Domain Specialist - Electrical Engineer

Domain specialists are staff with extensive experience in a field of interest to the SKA. Domain specialists provide engineering analysis as well as support to one or more Product Delivery Team (PDT) working beside a Project Manager, acting as the  technical person responsible for that specific delivery.  The electrical engineer will work primarily with the Infrastructure PDTs and will be in charge of the power distribution.

The domain specialists report to the SKA Project Engineer, working as members of a multidisciplinary team providing engineering support and leadership at all levels of the project (Domain Specialist Team - DST).

The project is currently starting its preparation for procurement for the construction phase so quite some emphasis will be devoted to this task.

• Provide technical leadership in electrical engineering for all aspects of the SKA project. Support the SKA Project Engineer and PDTs providing engineering analysis, technical notes, and reports as required.


• Work with the  infrastructure PDTs, as appropriate, to provide guidance, advice and technical assistance in their domain area of expertise during the next phases of the project (End of pre-construction, tendering and procurement, construction and verification)
  
  
  
  • During pre-construction: making changes due to the ECPs (Engineering Changes), resolving reference design issues, specialist technical input, preparation of procurement documents like specs, standards, etc. as requested
  
  
  • During tender: answering to request for clarification, evaluation of the tender pack, adjudication, recommendation, etc.
  
  
  • During construction: review and accept plans and designs from contractors, receive and comment on technical reports from contractors and work with the other contracts supervisors to takeover contract deliverables.
  
  
  
  


• Technical ownership of the power distribution within the Infrastructure PDTs


• Assist the SKA Power Engineer with the management and updating of the SKA Power Budget


• Undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the SKA Project Engineer, by the PDT PM or a member of SKA Organisation Senior Management Team.


• Undertake training in the financial, occupational health and safety, and human resource management procedures applicable to the SKA or its partners.


• Travel, as required, not only limited to the SKA partner countries. The two construction sites are based in Australia and South Africa. The holder of this position will be required to travel frequently to these countries.

• University degree in Engineering, another closely related and relevant field, or equivalent expertise;


• Membership of, or eligibility for, membership of, recognised national or international engineering institutes;


• Demonstrable experience in design of complex electrical systems in infrastructure projects;


• Demonstrable experience with the performance-verification of power systems in infrastructure projects;


• Demonstrable experience in installation and commissioning on field of complex power systems in infrastructure projects;


• Experience in procurement and tendering of electrical/power systems;


• Industry experience, and/or a track record in successful collaborative links with industry;


• Good English oral and written communication skills and the ability to influence people in widely differing parts of a complex organisation;


• A flexible team player who is adaptable to change;


• Able to work effectively with SKA engineers, project managers, and scientists from a variety of cultures, and


• Willing and able to travel as necessary and when possible in the context of any international travel restrictions, and to work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends (international travel for this sort of role would typically be for up to one week 6-8 times per year).

• Familiarity with control systems design


• Familiarity with electronic design and product design


• Familiarity with Systems Engineering


• Familiarity with NEC  form of contracts and the supervisor role


• Knowledge of, or a demonstrable interest in, the development, operation and ethos of large scale international research infrastructures such as observatories;


• Experience in design for volume production and/or in large-scale manufacturing and assembly;


• Familiarity with the formalism for, and requirements of, quality control environments such as ISO9000.

The Technical Writer is responsible for the development and maintenance of interactive electronic technical publications for SKA including operational, maintenance and safety procedures.

The Technical Writer is a member of the Engineering Operations Group which is responsible for the engineering Operations of both telescopes.  The Technical Writer will play a leading role in specifying format and contents to be provided by the contractors during construction. The person in this role will further develop the information obtained and integrate the data into a Common Source Database (CSDB) which forms the basis for the publication of operating and maintenance procedures. This role will report to the RAM/Logistics Systems Engineer and will be based in the SKA Global Headquarters located at Jodrell Bank in the UK.

• Responsible for the development of the contractor data requirements (Data Module Requirements List - DMRL);


• Formatting of technical information into data modules for re-use;


• The development, authoring and editing of additional data modules;


• Integrate the Data Modules into a Common Source Database (CSDB);


• Review and Approve the Data Modules;


• Publishing and distribution of the technical documentation and publications.

• University degree, diploma or equivalent qualification or experience, in authoring or another related and relevant field;


• Authoring experience (typically more than 10 years) in engineering research and development projects, in radio astronomy, astronomy, telecommunications or defence, or a broad electronic technical publication knowledge;


• Knowledge of the engineering of high technology systems, such as large observatories, space systems, telecommunications networks, nuclear power plants;


• Experience in electronic technical documentation projects with ability to work effectively with engineers and scientists from a variety of cultures;


• Experience of ASD S1000D specification and or DITA technical authoring; including Common Source Database (CSDB), Data Module Content Management Systems, structured documentation and xml editing.


• Good English oral and written communication skills and the ability to influence people in widely differing parts of a complex organisation;


• A flexible team player who is adaptable to change;


• Planning and organisation skills with a high attention to detail; able to work autonomously and solve problems.

• Membership (or eligibility for, membership) of, recognised national or international institutes;


• Experience of Jira ticketing environment;


• Experience using authoring tools such as: Adobe FrameMaker, Adobe Robohelp, Microsoft Word, Word Press, Acrobat (for PDF creation);


• Experience in illustration software such as: Adobe Illustrator, Visio, SmartDraw, PaintShop Pro, PhotoShop;


• Experience of using configuration management software and or Logistic Support Analysis Systems;


• Experience of using collaboration environments such as confluence.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are at the core the SKA's agenda and we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. Our aim to is recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion or nationality.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Organisation welcomes and encourages female applicants.

Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.

Defining the strategic vision for the PSA, in coordination with the Archives Mission Scientist and in line with the Department?s overall strategy for the archives;

Interfacing with all relevant stakeholders from planetary missions, including the PSA Users Group, to ensure long-term preservation of the data and to encourage the use of multi-mission data for planetary science research;

Providing, in cooperation with all planetary archive scientists, scientific development priorities for the PSA, taking into account mission-specific as well as general purpose requirements and constraints;

Contributing actively to the ESAC Science Data Centre reporting and outreach activities, in collaboration with the Archives Mission Scientist and the other Archive Science Leads;

Representing ESA and actively promoting cooperation at planetary scientific conferences, fora, workshops, and reviews, as well as at the International Planetary Data Alliance and with external partner space agencies and organisations;

Acting as Archive Scientist for all ESA planetary legacy missions.

Assuming the ownership of use cases and drivers for the mission archive;

Monitoring the implementation, testing and performance of the archive, prior to its release to the scientific community;

Supervising and coordinating the definition and provision of science data products and higher-level data products from the community or Instrument Teams;

Liaising with any internal and external providers to ensure completeness of all levels of data products, contributing to the optimisation and refinement of the archive products when possible;

Organising, where required, peer reviews for the assessment and evaluation of the archive?s products and documentation;

Supporting the scientific community through a helpdesk;

Encouraging the science exploitation of mission data products through archive use;

Contributing to the strategy for and promotion of the ESA Science Archives.

Ability to lead disciplinary and inter-disciplinary groups of top experts

Science operations development, in particular regarding data management and archiving systems

Experience in interfacing with external parties, especially the scientific community and Principal Investigator teams

Breadth of exposure coming from past and/or current research/activities

Background in one or more of the following domains: solar systems science, astrophysics, space science (astrophysics, planetary and solar system), computer science

Broad knowledge of scientific discipline, including strategic vision of the area Planetary Science

the potential to manage individuals or a team of experts;

the ability to organise their activities and ensure a motivating work environment;

strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills;

the ability to drive their team?s performance, developing their people by encouraging learning, delegating responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback;

strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;

a strong results orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing;

the ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer focused.

The Solar System School invites applications for PhD positions in Solar System Science. Review of applications will begin on 1 November 2020.

The International Max Planck Research School for Solar System Science at the University of Göttingen (Solar System School) offers a research-oriented doctoral programme covering the physical aspects of Solar system science. It is jointly run by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) and the University of Göttingen.

Research at the MPS covers three main areas:

• Sun and Heliosphere


• Solar and Stellar Interiors


• Planets and Comets

Solar System School students collaborate with leading scientists in these fields and graduates are awarded a doctoral degree from the renowned University of Göttingen or, if they choose, another university.

The Solar System School is open to students from all countries and offers an international three-year PhD program in an exceptional research environment with state-of-the-art facilities on the Göttingen Campus. Successful applicants will be offered a three-year doctoral support contract as well as postdoc wrap-up funding.

The language of the structured graduate program is English, with complimentary German language courses offered (optional). The program includes an inspiring curriculum of scientific lectures and seminars as well as advanced training workshops and provides relocation costs and travel funds to attend international conferences.

Applicants to the Solar System School should have a keen interest in Solar system science and a record of academic excellence. They must have, or must be about to obtain, an M.Sc. degree or equivalent in physics, earth sciences or a related field, including a written Masters thesis, and must document a good command of the English language.

Review of applications for a starting date of September 2021 will begin on 1 November 2020, but other starting times are also negotiable. The positions are awarded on a competitive basis. Applicants must submit the following documents through the online application portal before 1 November 2020:

• an application form to be filled online, including two short texts describing the applicant's scientific interests and their motivation to apply for PhD projects in the Solar System School, along with the applicant's choice of up to three PhD projects;


• a curriculum vitae in pdf format;


• degree certificates and full transcripts of all academic records: i.e. scanned copies of B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree certificates (or equivalent), and lists of all courses with credits and grades issued by the respective school or university, with English or German translations;
• certificate to prove proficiency in the English language, for candidates whose native language is not English or German (e.g. transcript of TOEFL / IELTS scores or equivalent);


• contact details for two or more referees who have agreed to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of the applicant. The referees will be contacted by the School and will be asked to submit their letters through the online portal no later than 10 November 2020.

It is highly recommended to also submit

• GRE Physics test scores or equivalent for candidates who have obtained their Master's degree at a university outside of Europe.

The Solar System School is committed to diversity. The MPS is an equal opportunity employer and places particular emphasis on providing career opportunities for women. Applications of people with disabilities are encouraged and will be favored in case of comparable qualifications.

To apply, please

• Read the official Call for applications 2020 (PDF, Poster)


• See the list of Open PhD projects in astrophysics


• To apply, register then login at the Online application portal


• For further information, please browse the answers to Frequently Asked Questions.