Software Engineer II-III (93)
 National Radio Astronomy | |
parental leave, paid time off, sick time, remote work
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 United States, New Mexico, Albuquerque | |
 Aug 25, 2025 | |
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National Radio Astronomy Observatory Title: Software Engineer II-III (93) Location: NRAO Headquarters, CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, United States of America* NRAO Array Operations Center, SOCORRO, New Mexico, United States of America* NRAO Albuquerque Office, ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, United States of America Requisition Number: 93 Job Family: Software Engineer Pay Type: Salary Required Education: CPP Position Description: Position Summary The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is an exciting and prestigious research facility that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. The Observatory operates a variety of radio telescopes that span the globe, including the famous Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. These telescopes are among the most advanced in the world, allowing astronomers to explore the universe in unprecedented detail. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) is an array of 66 radio antenna located high in the Chilean Andes. Its scientific capabilities are, by a large factor, better than any other millimeter wave radio telescope. It was commissioned in 2013 and is, to date, the largest ground-based astronomical project. ALMA is supported by a diverse team of people on four continents (North America, South America, Europe and Asia). We are seeking a Software Engineer to join the North America (NA) ALMA software development team and work jointly with the NA and European (EU) ALMA software teams. The NA software team is responsible for the data acquisition (Control and Correlator) and Scheduling software; the EU software team is responsible for user tools (proposal submission, tracking projects, quality assurance, etc). The NA data acquisition software is written in Java, C++, and Python, while the EU user tools are developed with Java FX and Hibernate. We are a small, distributed team that values curiosity, diligence, and professional communication. There is potential to grow into leadership of significant software infrastructure upgrades, and to design, prototype, and install new software technologies. We operate in an environment of continuous upgrades to both ALMA and to our team's skills. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of significant software upgrades to the ALMA telescope. The potential exists to lead significant software infrastructure upgrades and tackle obsolescence by designing and prototyping new software technologies, building new user tools for astronomers and operators, and interfacing with the next generation of ALMA system-wide hardware upgrades. This position will be located at one of the NRAO facilities in Charlottesville (VA), Socorro (NM), or Albuquerque (NM). Fully remote work may be possible for a highly qualified candidate. What You Will be Doing: The successful applicant will join the NA ALMA Control software team. The primary responsibility is Java FX GUIs for the ALMA Control software and observation tools. This software is used by array operators to monitor the ALMA telescopes, start and interact with the data acquisition software, and to configure various aspects of the array. This software is both a user-facing tool and connects with the data acquisition software. Initially this position will focus on understanding the current software, developing new code, and completing upgrades to be compatible with newer versions of Java and RedHat. The successful applicant will need to work with Chilean stakeholders to gather requirements, coordinate with developers in NA and EU, conduct automated testing, deliver software to the software test team, and support integration, verification, and validation testing in Chile. Testing is an integral part of the development process and it is expected that the applicant will write and maintain test software that will be run in an automated way. They will also help maintain the internal test systems used, daily, for initial testing of the software. It is expected that the successful candidate will engage in technical discussions with colleagues at remote locations to help troubleshoot problems. Communication is key when designing and maintaining large, complex systems. The successful applicant will participate in both face-to-face and virtual discussions, and in meetings and workshops where complex design decisions will be made. Close collaboration will be essential as the team maintains and improves each subsystem, component, and interface. We use Jira to organize our tasks, Confluence for offline discussions, and Slack and Zoom for collaboration. Our new team member will utilize all these tools and more to effectively engage with their colleagues. Longer term, this position will grow to encompass other software that bridges both user-facing tools, data acquisition, and data processing software. This includes, but is not limited to, expanding the workflow software, operator and engineering graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and GUIs used by astronomers to assess data quality. The successful applicant will:
Work Environment The successful candidate will join a team of professionals engaged in research and development in the fields of science, engineering, software development, and education. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment. Must be able to operate a personal computer. May occasionally work at high altitudes. Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Who You Are:
Competency Summary
Preferred Experience
Total Rewards: Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) offers a comprehensive total rewards package for this position, subject to eligibility requirements. We are committed to serving our employees and their families with an extensive and competitive compensation and benefits package that supports our employees' overall well-being and career growth. Compensation AUI strives to attract and retain dedicated, highly qualified, competent, and motivated employees by offering competitive compensation and recognition for performance. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include; education, experience, skills, competencies, other qualifications of the successful candidate, as well as internal equity and labor market conditions. For open rank positions, the starting salary/hourly rates for each level is between:
Benefits: AUI's benefits package addresses the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment. AUI provides excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days and 15 sick days, additional time off for doctor/dentist visits, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave). Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment. AUI's retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant's base pay with no required employee contribution; we also offer an optional supplemental, tax-deferred plan for employee retirement contributions. Application Instructions: Select the "Apply Now" button. Please be prepared to upload your current CV/Resume and a cover letter describing interest and suitability for the position Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit https://public.nrao.edu/careers/. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to resumes@nrao.edu. PM20 Please see job description PI277538231 | |