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Advert. no. 2016_0054
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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 its Directorate for Science at its Headquarters in Garching near Munich, Germany, ESO is advertising the position of:

Outreach Astronomer

Garching

Vacancy closed on 20/11/2016

Deadline 20/11/2016

The ESO education and Public Outreach Department (ePOD) is responsible for providing information about ESO's activities to the public in the Member States and beyond. ESO ePOD manages and performs public astronomy communication activities aimed at various target groups, including the media, the public, educators, the ESO user community, industrial partners and decision-makers. ePOD is based partly at the ESO Headquarters in Garching near Munich, Germany, and partly in Santiago de Chile. These existing outreach activities and the new ESO Supernova - Planetarium & Visitor Centre (supernova.eso.org) will make ESO an exciting global centre for astronomy outreach and education.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Public Information Officer duties

Coordinating the production of English texts and visuals for a fraction of ESO's news products (press releases and announcements) and occasionally stand-in for the primary public information officer during absence periods. Special focus on E-ELT and CTA. This includes writing of some of the texts.

2. Astronomical Image Production

Coordinate part of the production of approx. 100 astronomical outreach images/year from VLT, ALMA, APEX, La Silla, Hubble, CTA and survey telescope data.

  • Lead the acquisition of new outreach images with the ESO telescopes (through the ESO Gems programme).
  • Supervise, and contribute to the work of the outsourcing companies and collaborators performing the sophisticated data processing leading to final clean images suitable for publication.

3. Supervision of ePOD/Chile

4. Coordination of ESO Science Outreach Network (ESON)

  • Ensure that ESON members deliver translations on time (95%) and on budget (100%).
  • On exceptional basis implement new ESON nodes and/or volunteers, according to the priorities set by the organisation.
  • Coordinate the translation of major upgrades to the public web pages.

5. Exhibition Coordination

  • Coordinate ESO's temporary Exhibitions (e.g. at JENAM, AAS).
  • Regularly coordinate creation of new content (text, images, videos) for the ESO Supernova Kiosks, Touch screens and Panels (incl. overseeing the updates to the AstroCalendar and the Portal to the Universe). This work is done together with contractors.
  • Occasionally arrange temporary exhibitions in the ESO Supernova.

6. Planetarium programming (Digistar 6 and Uniview)

  • Maintain the daily live Sky at Night programme and scheduling code executing the pre-recorded planetarium shows (scripting, storyboarding and computer programming).
  • Develop other planetarium programming (incl. the production of the three educational shows).
  • Provide support for data conversion, import and visualisation of planetarium data for science/public presentations and the planetarium community (through the Data2Dome project).

Other miscellaneous tasks as requested by the Head of Department.

The successful candidate will be an astronomer and member of the ESO Science Faculty and will be expected and encouraged to actively conduct astronomical research, and to participate actively in the scientific life of ESO, in up to 50% of their time.

Reports to:

Head of education and Public Outreach Department

Experience:

  • Strong and broad astronomy background;
  • At least 5 years of experience at Post Doc level or higher;
  • Very good astronomical/data processing skills (imaging), incl. programming skills;
  • Good public science communication skills with some experience in writing and editing journalistic texts;
  • In-depth knowledge of the night sky, contemporary astronomy and space exploration;
  • Experience communicating astronomy with the public.
  • Desirable:
  • Experience with Evans & Sutherland's Digistar software, Sciss' Uniview and Zeiss' Powerdome software suite;
  • Knowledge of writing, submitting and executing imaging observing proposals on ESO telescopes;
  • Two years of experience of presenting in a planetarium and producing digital planetarium shows;
  • Excellent public speaking skills, with experience of working with a wide range of audiences in a range of settings.

Key Competences:

  • Logical thinker with excellent project management skills;
  • Good team management skills;
  • Precise communication and documentation skills;
  • Effective and committed team player;
  • Excellent written communication skills with experience in producing materials for different audiences;
  • Excellent organisational and time-management skills;
  • Ability to design and implement departmental procedures and workflows;
  • Result-oriented, proactive, highly motivated and creative - delivering prompt and efficient service on multiple concurrent projects under tight deadlines;
  • Desirable: Diplomatic skills.

Qualifications:

  • Educated to PhD degree level in Astronomy.

Language Skills:

  • Fluency in the English language;
  • Desirable: Native English skills.

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 support in relocating family members and the possibility to place 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

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, CV containing a publication list with a research statement. Also required are the names and contact details of three scientists familiar with your work and willing to provide a recommendation letter. Referees will be automatically invited to submit a recommendation letter. However, applicants are strongly advised to trigger these invitations (using the web application form) well in advance of the application deadline.

Closing date for applications is 20 November 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 the United Kingdom.

The post is equally open to suitably qualified female and male applicants.

Contact us

Email vacancy@eso.org

ESO