Share
Working at ESO
Are you interested in working in areas of frontline technology and in a stimulating international environment? Do you feel your profile matches our requirements? Learn more about our current vacancies and apply online. Read more..
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 the Engineering Group at APEX, Sequitor, ESO is opening an International Staff member position as:
Senior Electronics Engineer
Sequitor, San Pedro de Atacama
Deadline 22/09/2016
APEX is a sub-mm telescope operating on Llano de Chajnantor in Chile through a collaboration between the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie in Germany, the Onsala Space Observatory in Sweden and ESO. The site is excellent for sub-mm observations, and the telescope is equipped with a unique suite of heterodyne receivers and continuum detector arrays for observations in selected THz frequency bands.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will be a member of the engineering team of the APEX project (Atacama Pathfinder Experiment, a submillimeter-wave telescope located in the high Andes http://www.apex-telescope.org. She/He takes responsibilities in improvement projects of the radio telescope's systems and instruments. This also includes the installation and commissioning of equipment supporting operations. The successful applicant will efficiently support the daily operation of the radio telescope, its subsystems and instruments. She/he will also develop new subsystems and improve existing ones to enhance the reliability and the efficiency of operation.
As an APEX staff member, she/he will collaborate and give support to external multinational teams coming to install and to test new equipment. The successful candidate participates in a multidisciplinary team and cooperates in all tasks required for operations. She/He must be willing to accept irregular working times and must be able to work under difficult environmental conditions as tasks are carried out at the antenna site, at an altitude of 5100m.
Reports to:
APEX Station Manager.
Experience:
The qualified candidate must have at least 5 years of experience in the design, built and control of complex electronic systems. Experience and in-depth knowledge in at least three of the following areas are required:
- THz heterodyne instrument control.
- RF and microwave technique.
- Vacuum and cryogenic technique.
- LABVIEW programming.
- Antenna drive servo systems.
Key Competences:
- Conscientious and structured way of working.
- Excellent workmanship on electronics installations.
- Ability to define, organize and lead engineering projects in a success oriented way.
- Ability to early identify problems and pro-actively develop ultimate solutions.
- Competence to analyze and interpret engineering data.
Engineering skills: Personal skills:
- Good time management and multi task working.
- Willingness to learn and deal with new situations and issues.
- Work under pressure in harsh environment (high altitude)
- Continuous personal development.
- Open attitude to cultural.
Team working skills:
- Contributes ideas for improvements and developments to the working of the team.
- Flexible attitude to team roles, sharing of own knowledge, help to enable others to meet team and organization's goals.
Planning skills:
- Monitors and reports on own progress, delivers results to agreed deadlines and standards. Qualifications: We seek a professional with a university degree in electronics engineering or equivalent. A strong command of English (written and spoken) is essential. A valid driver license is required.
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.
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 organizational 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:
The post is based at APEX Sequitor, near to San Pedro de Atacama. The successful candidate must be able and willing to perform work at the high site of Chajnantor at 5.100 m a.s.l.
Aptness to work at high altitude and a positive high altitude medical certificate will be required prior to a contract offer.
The working system is foreseen on a shift with 8 working days, accommodation provided on site, and 6 days of rest period.
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://recruitment.eso.org/. Applications must be completed in English and should include a motivation letter and CV.
Closing date for applications is 22 September, 2016.
Although recruitment preference will be given to nationals of ESO Member States (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom), no nationality is in principle excluded.
The post is equally open to suitably qualified female and male applicants.