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Working at ESO
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The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries.
ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in northern Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor (home to ALMA and APEX), and the ESO Headquarters are located in Garching, near Munich, Germany.
At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky" and whose operations will be fully integrated into the Paranal Observatory.
For its Control Software and Engineering (CSE) department at the Headquarters in Garching near Munich, Germany, ESO is opening the position of a
Control Engineer
Garching
Deadline 10/04/2016
ESO is looking for a suitably qualified Control Engineer to work in CSE's Control Engineering group in the Directorate of Engineering. The department comprises about 36 software and control engineers, who work closely with other departments at ESO as well as many national and international institutes and industrial consortia to define and develop state-of-the-art research facilities for ESO's observatories in Chile, especially for the E-ELT.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
You will be working closely with various ESO project teams and in particular on the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and their instruments. The main responsibilities will include:
- Support ESO projects with real time control systems, especially in the area of adaptive optics
- Cover the full development lifecycle of real time control systems (specification, design, analysis, implementation and maintenance)
- Maintain and further develop ESO's existing real time control systems
- Contribute to specification, design, analysis and implementation of the future E-ELT real time control platform
- Interface to consortia collaborating with ESO
- Act as main contact for projects using the real time control platforms implemented
- Keep abreast of new technological developments and assess their suitability for ESO's work
- Follow up industrial contracts in terms of schedule, content and quality
Reports to:
Head of Control Engineering group within the department of Control Software and Engineering
Experience:
The successful candidate fulfills at least a significant subset of the following criteria:
- At least 3 years working experience in the development of real time control systems, ideally for the MIMO domain
- Excellent hands on knowledge in the software implementation of distributed real time control systems, preferably in C++ under real time operating systems like VxWorks; expertise in embedded systems
- Experience in real-time control design for heterogeneous hardware platforms involving CPUs, accelerator devices (e.g. FPGA, DSP, GPU) as well as high-speed data links and/or deterministic networking
- Acquaintance with object-oriented programming, software configuration control and software testing tools
- Good knowledge of standard mathematical and simulation tools such as Matlab/Simulink and/or LabVIEW; familiarity with their use for control law simulation and numerical verification
- Hands on experience in SISO/MIMO system identification, controller design and tuning; good command of practical PID control techniques and stability control
- Comprehensive system-level view; experience in obsolescence management of complex control systems
- Sound engineering background in different engineering disciplines like systems engineering, structural mechanics, optics, computing science and electronics
- Knowledge of adaptive optics, CCD cameras, distributed software frameworks and/or high-performance parallel computing techniques would be an asset
Key Competences:
The successful candidate
- Provides clear, concise and timely oral and written communications, identifies the key issues, examines options and proposes the way ahead
- Is able to build strong collaborative working relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds and disciplines
- Is flexible in adapting to changes of requirements and priorities as well as of assignments
- Monitors progress of own work and delivers to agreed deadlines and standards
- Develops own skills and ensures that learning and development needs are identified, solutions found and outcomes evaluated
- Is capable to work for different projects and with different teams in a matrix structure, also in parallel and under pressure
- Takes over responsibility and is able to take decisions
Qualifications:
University degree in Control Engineering or equivalent
Language Skills:
The position requires a working knowledge of English
Remuneration and Contract:
We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary (tax free), comprehensive pension scheme and medical, educational and other social benefits, as well as financial help in relocating your family and the possibility to place your child/children in daycare.
The contract is for a fixed term duration of three years, and is subject to successful completion of the probation period. There is a possibility of extension(s) subject to individual performance and organisational requirements, and as defined in the applicable policies and staff rules and regulations. For any further information, please visit <http://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/intstaff>.
Duty Station:
Garching near Munich, Germany with regular duty trips to the ESO sites in Chile
Career Path:
V
Application:
If you are interested in working in areas of frontline technology and in a stimulating international environment, please visit <http://www.eso.org> for further details.
Applicants are invited to apply online at <http://jobs.eso.org/>. Applications must be completed in English and should include a motivation letter and CV.
Closing date for applications is 10 April 2016.
Interviews are expected to start soon after this date.
No nationality is in principle excluded. However, recruitment preference will be given to nationals of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
The post is equally open to suitably qualified female and male applicants.