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Advert. no. 2020_0011
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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 the Atacama Desert region of Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnator. 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 Maintenance, Support and Engineering Department (MSE) at the La Silla Paranal Observatory, in Chile, ESO is advertising a Local Staff Member Position of:

Mechanical Engineer (2 positions)

Paranal

Vacancy closed on 07/05/2020

Deadline 07/05/2020

See the ESO engineers podcast at: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/esocast186a/

The successful applicants will be part of the Mechanical Engineering Group within the Maintenance, Support and Engineering (MSE) Department at the Paranal site of the La Silla Paranal Observatory (LPO). The MSE Department of the Paranal Observatory with a workforce of 80 engineers and technicians provides maintenance and technical support to the four 8m VLT telescopes, to the VLT Interferometer with its auxiliary telescopes, the VST and VISTA survey telescopes and to all instruments available for scientific observations. Astronomical instruments are large, complex facilities involving advanced technologies in the fields of optics, precision mechanics, electronics, cryogenics, detector acquisition systems and software. The Paranal Mechanical Engineering (PME) group is comprised of 19 engineers and technicians and is responsible for:

  • Maintain and ensure the availability of all mechanical equipment o the Paranal Observatory (except Telescope Instruments), all cooling equipment (except Telescope Instruments cryogenics parts), mirror coaters and handling equipment, production of mechanical pieces, movement/lift of heavy equipment, and work package management of outsourced service contract.
  • Define, design and implement upgrades related to improvements on the above mentioned equipment, including management of outsourced resources eventually contracted for such improvements.
  • Support to other groups like Instrumentation Group and system and Optics group on their fields of expertise, for Instrument movement, coaters operations and maintenance and collaboration in project teams for integration and testing of new equipment.
  • Support the Electronics Group for Power Generation and other interdisciplinary projects.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The selected candidates will have the following responsibilities:

For the assigned system(s),

  • Be responsible of all maintenance activities and obsolescence analysis and perform troubleshooting and repair activities.
  • Ensure the availability and performance according to technical specifications.
  • Propose change request and implement once approved (technical analysis, design, implementation, commissioning, documentation).
  • Interact with Headquarters Experts (In Munich) for new projects and important upgrades.
  • Interact with Support and Quality Assurance group for planning, spare parts definition, maintenance plan optimization, documentation and quality control.
  • Coordinate mid/long term activities (and short term when on site) of colleagues and contractors.
  • Lead root cause analysis, recovery plans and write reports in case of critical failures.
  • Coordinate and supervise contractor activities in close coordination with the Outsource Contract Work Package Manager.

Support activities:

  • Participate to the daily troubleshooting and corrective maintenance activities.
  • Assembly-Integration-Verification of new systems ensuring the transfer of knowledge from project team to the operational team.
  • Supports Instrumentation, System and Optics and Electronics Group in mechanical field.
  • Any critical LPO activities for which mechanical competencies are requested.

Reports to:

Mechanical Group Leader of the Paranal Mechanical Group.

Experience:

The ideal candidates have at least 3 years of professional experience in the field of advanced mechanical systems, preferably involving high precision mechanics and/or opto-mechanical systems with knowledge of pneumatic, hydraulics, cooling and air conditioning system. Experience in telescopes and in a multicultural environment would be an asset. Experience in managing teams and/or small projects would also be valuable.

Key Competences

  • Ability to understand the "big picture" and the details of complex systems, their interfaces, and their performances.
  • Ability to troubleshoot and solve problems under difficult working conditions and with tight deadlines.
  • Real interest to learn or apply maintenance and trouble-shooting techniques.
  • Hands-on experience, in particular for mechanical assemblies.
  • Strong sense of team spirit with the ability to work effectively in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment, promoting the sharing of ideas and opinions, respecting and accepting eventual differences.
  • Good self-organization.
  • Ability to constructively suggest improvements to work processes.
  • Plan effectively and monitor progress of work, deliver results on time and to standards

Qualifications:

University degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Language Skills:

ESO is an international organization where the official language is English. It is required that the candidate has a good command of written and spoken English.

Remuneration and Contract:

We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, comprehensive maternity-parental, educational, and other social benefits, as well as financial help in relocating the candidate's family, where applicable. See a summary at https://www.eso.org/public/archives/static/jobs/conditions/brochure-lsm-final-sp-updated-feb2019.pdf The initial contract is for a period of two years with the possibility of extension, subject to evaluation.

Duty Station:

Paranal Observatory, located 120 km south of the city of Antofagasta, Chile. The working schedule will be 8 days on duty and 6 days off duty (8x6) with accommodation provided on site.

Career Path:

V

Application:

If you are interested in working in areas of frontline science and technology and in a stimulating international environment, please visit http://www.eso.org for further details. Non-Chilean applicants to this role must reside in Chile and have a pertinent working permit, according to Chilean regulations, at the time of their application. ESO is committed to equal opportunities. The post is equally open to suitably qualified candidates irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, race or religion.

Applicants are invited to apply online at https://recruitment.eso.org/. Applications should include a motivation letter and CV in English. References may be required. Interviews will be held in English.

Closing date for applications is 7 May 2020.

Contact us

Email vacchile@eso.org

ESO