Senior Execution Framework Engineer

About the Role: Senior Execution Framework Engineer

This role involves designing, prototyping, implementing, and integrating systems to bring advanced algorithms into real-world scientific processing pipelines for the telescope. The execution framework and processing functions are crucial for scalability and integration of both new and existing processing code.

The aim is to:

• Push the boundaries of radio astronomy software for future extensions and regional centers.
• Support precursor telescopes and the broader astronomy community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement and verify Data processing system and Astronomy software packages.
• Contribute to systems engineering and Operations documentation refinement
• Support users, operators, as well as the implementation of releases, system changes and fixes.
• Be an integral member of the Computing and Software team, as a senior technical specialist that supports the establishment of data processing operations.
• Participate in project management and activity management activities.
• Attend relevant training/courses to gain experience and improved knowledge.
• Research new technologies, methods, or approaches, with the purpose of utilizing them within the organization.
• Participate in innovation and technology development initiatives.
• Mentor and educate more junior engineers as and when required.

Key Requirements:
Qualification:

1. Degree/ Masters/ PHD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Astronomy or Astronomy techniques, Physics, or related fields

Experience:

1. Degree coupled 9 years relevant working experience, or Masters Degree coupled with 7 years relevant working experience or PHD coupled with 5 years relevant working experience in software engineering, high performance algorithms development
2. Experience with distributed data-intensive processing and algorithm development, ideally both from a design and application perspective.
3. Expertise in hybrid software development in Python and C/C++ programming languages.

Knowledge:

1. Experience with profiling and optimization techniques, especially how to build high performance pipelines overlapping I/O and processing.
2. Experience with physical data modelling, both for efficient in-memory & network data exchange as well as storage (e.g. Apache Arrow, HDF5 or equivalent)
3. Understanding of data processing algorithms, such as Fourier transformations, gridding and (de)convolution methods. Knowledge of radio astronomy data processing pipelines and their scaling properties would be advantageous.
4. Common radio astronomy instrumentation: spectrometers, correlators, beamformers and pulsar timing machines and transient search machines. Systems Engineering processes.

SKILLS/ COMPETENCIES/ KNOWLEDGE:
Essential:

• Design, implementation and verification of high-speed digital computer and electronics hardware and systems.
• System Engineering life cycle processes, including documentation, requirement analysis, architecture design, implementation, integration, and acquisition.
• Parallel implementations of Data Processing components, pipelines, and astronomy algorithms
• Comprehension of MPI, DASK and other High Performance Computing frameworks and interfaces
• Linux operating system and standard tools.

Desirable:

• Common radio astronomy instrumentation: spectrometers, correlators, beamformers and pulsar timing machines and transient search machines.
• Knowledge of Radio Astronomy techniques, and observatory practices
• Ability to communicate effectively to a wide audience and a wide range of stakeholders, gathering information and distilling information and tailoring it appropriately for the target audience.
• Ability to develop and convey a technical solution as part of a team.
• Ability to reliably estimate and plan work as part of a team.
• Agile approaches to systems development
• Engineering systems architecture concept
• An understanding of DevOps processes
• Services, Operations and Support management
• Risk management.

Skills:

• Modern software collaboration tools such as GitHub, Containers, Google Drive, JIRA etc.
• Understanding and experience in implementation of project management and system engineering principles.
• Experience with test-driven development and integration testing techniques, methodologies, and frameworks; and supporting systems like revision control and build systems.
• Experience with quality assurance processes and software development processes and willingness to participate in improving software development processes and software quality procedures.

Applications:
Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by logging to [email protected]
Applications should be accompanied by a comprehensive CV, ID, certificates and the names and contact details of at least three referees.
Closing Date: 31 January 2025