The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) will be the world’s largest and most sensitive ground-based gamma-ray observatory. With a telescope array site in each hemisphere, one on La Palma (Spain) and one in Paranal (Chile), it will cover the full night sky, detecting high-energy radiation from the Universe with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. Continental Europe will host its headquarters in Bologna (Italy) and the Science Data Management Centre (SDMC) in Zeuthen (Germany).
The Observatory is funded through a combination of in-kind-contributions and directly funded efforts, with more than 10 countries actively participating as shareholders, and more than 150 institutions from 25 countries taking part in the project. The CTAO was promoted to a “Landmark” on the European Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) Roadmap 2018, and was ranked as the main priority among the new ground-based infrastructures in the ASTRONET Roadmap 2022-2035. |
We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Software Developer for our project. The selected candidate will be part of the CTAO Array Control and Data Acquisition (ACADA) system team - ACADA is the software responsible for the supervision and control of telescopes and calibration instruments at both CTAO array sites. The ACADA team recently issued the first major product release and successfully tested the software in real operations at the Large-Sized Telescope prototype installed in La Palma.
The selected candidate will develop and integrate telescope software with the ACADA system. Working with the ACADA team, the CTAO Telescope Coordination Group, telescope software teams, and the Integration and Verification (AIV) personnel, the successful candidate will play a key role in the construction of software for one of the largest astronomical installations ever built.
Your tasks and responsibilities:
- Support the Telescope Coordination Group activities regarding telescope software, with emphasis on standardization across the different CTAO telescope types.
- Develop software, such as common libraries, application software interfaces (APIs), and functions to support the telescope control system’s needs.
- Participate in the ACADA – telescope integration and testing activities, with emphasis on contribution to the automation of packaging, deployment, and testing of the software.
- Participate in the development and testing of the aspects of the ACADA software that interfaces directly with telescope software.
- Set up continuous integration pipelines that jointly test ACADA and telescope software.
- Create simulators and mock-ups of telescope and ACADA systems, to facilitate the integration and testing.
- Organize the training and support of telescope software teams in the usage of frameworks used in CTAO (Alma Common Software - ACS, OPC UA) and integration with ACADA.
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
You will be reporting to: CTAO ACADA Coordinator |
- Completed higher education in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, physics, mathematics, or equivalent knowledge.
- At least four years of technical work experience or a combination of education and relevant experience in creating software and firmware for control and data acquisition systems, ideally related to scientific installations.
- Familiar with software lifecycle aspects: management, requirements, architecture, design, code, test, integration, deployment, and maintenance.
- Understanding of information technology approaches, applications (which may include scientific applications), tools, and methodologies, as well as a broad background in a variety of technology platforms.
- Good command of at least two of the following programming languages: C++, Java, and Python.
- Knowledge of object-oriented design principles and design patterns.
- Experience with containerization via Docker.
- Experience with working with git, continuous integration systems, unit testing, performance testing, and software quality assurance tools such as SonarQube.
- Experience with SCADA systems, in particular, used in scientific installations such as TANGO, EPICS, ACS, WinCC OA, OPC UA, CORBA, etc. will be considered a plus.
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Ability to work effectively as a team player in an international, multi-cultural, distributed, and complex project environment.
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Willingness to travel to the CTAO sites for on-site integration and test activities, and for workshops with the contributing partners.
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Ability to understand and communicate complex technical information.
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Good communication skills and a command of English are essential.
Remuneration and Contract: CTAO offers an attractive remuneration package, including a competitive salary. The contract is an open term contract subject to successful completion of the probation period.
Duty Station: CTAO Science Data Management Center in Zeuthen (Germany) with visits to the CTAO Headquarters in Bologna (Italy) and contributor sites.
Deadline for applications: April 30, 2024
For more information on CTAO Computing and ACADA, please visit https://www.cta-observatory.org/project/technology/computing/, or contact the CTAO ACADA Coordinator Dr. Igor Oya igor.oya@cta-observatory.org.
Applications are accepted without distinction on any grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, gender identity, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
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