Instrumentation Engineer

The successful applicant will be Instrumentation Engineer in the Instrumentation Group within the MSE Department at the Paranal site of the La Silla Paranal Observatory. The MSE Department, with a workforce of 85 engineers and technicians, provides maintenance and technical support to the four 8m VLT telescopes, to the VLT Interferometer (VLTI) with its auxiliary telescopes, the VST and VISTA survey telescopes and to all instruments available for scientific observations. The Instrumentation Group is comprised of 16 engineers and technicians and is responsible for all astronomical instruments at the Paranal Observatory. The group is responsible for 'Maintenance in Condition of Operations' (MCO) of all scientific instruments (hardware only) including adaptive optics modules, VLTI Instruments, Laser Guide Star Facility, and the Mask Manufacturing Unit, MCO of detector, clean room and opto-mechanical labs, MCO of technical equipment in New Integration Hall, and for interface and follow-up of new instruments coming to Paranal, and finally for the management of the maintenance outsourced contract instrument work package.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The selected candidate will have the following main duties:

As Instrumentation Engineer:

• Have the technical responsibility of one or more systems, particularly in the field of adaptive optics:
• Be responsible of all maintenance activities (corrective and planned) and obsolescence analysis.
• Ensure the availability of the systems according to specification.
• Propose and implement change requests (analysis, design, implementation, commissioning, documentation)
• Interact with the optical engineers at ESO headquarters and with the Support and Quality Assurance group (planning, spare parts, maintenance plan optimization, documentation, and quality control)

Support activities:

• Execute performance analysis when needed.
• Assembly Integration and Verification of new systems and ensure the transfer of knowledge from project to the dedicated team.
• Any critical Paranal observatory activities for which your competencies are requested by your manager.

Reports to:

The Group Leader of the Instrumentation Group.

Experience:

The candidate has ideally a few years of professional experience in one or more of these areas:

• Astronomical or scientific instrument maintenance or development (design, analysis and/or verification, including thermoelastic analysis) by using a variety of engineering tools and standard methodologies.
• Development and maintenance of adaptive optics systems in existing and new instruments, particularly in all the different components of these systems (deformable mirrors, wavefront sensors) and the related control system
• Development and maintenance of instrument detectors and associated Front End Electronics (FEE) (design, analysis and/or characterization)

Knowledge and experience in at least two of the following domains will be an asset:

• System engineering and project management.
• Cryogenic and vacuum systems.
• Mechanism in cryo-vacuum conditions.
• Optical instrumentation, mechanical design, and analysis.
• Advanced maintenance and reliability methodologies, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Data analysis.

Key Competences:

The Observatory will provide technical training in the field and on-the-job. Ideally, the candidate has several of the following broad competences (technical and soft):

• Ability to understand the "big picture" and the details of complex systems, their interfaces, and their performance.
• Ability to trouble-shoot and solve problems under difficult working conditions and with tight deadlines.
• Real interest to learn maintenance and trouble-shooting techniques.
• Having a fine grasp of practical work, for example to conduct optical alignment.
• Strong sense of team spirit with the ability to work effectively in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment.
• Good self-organization, to be able to handle different types of work requests with different levels of priority.
• Constructively suggest improvements to work processes.
• Plan effectively and monitor progress of work, deliver results on time and to standards.

Qualifications:

University degree in physics, engineering, or astronomy. Specialisation in the field of astronomical instrumentation and/or system engineering, or equivalent is welcome.

Language Skills:

ESO is an international organization where the official language is English. The position requires proficiency in oral and written communication in English.

Remuneration and Contract:

We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary and educational benefits, as well as financial help in relocating the candidate's family, where applicable. ESO aims to support its members of personnel in maintaining a good work-life balance (https://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/intstaff/#work-life-balance) between their professional and private life.

The initial contract is for a two-year term subject to medical clearance and successful completion of the probation period with a possibility of indefinite extension following the two years. The title or grade may be subject to change according to qualification and the number of years of experience. For further information, please visit https://www.eso.org/public/archives/static/jobs/conditions/brochure-lsm-updated-jan2020.pdf

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. Applicants are invited to apply online at https://recruitment.eso.org/. Your application should be in English and include your curriculum vitae (CV) and a letter of motivation. All interviews will be conducted in English.

Closing date for applications is 20 March 2024.

Interviews are expected to start soon after this date.

Nationality:

No nationality is in principle excluded from employment at ESO, however, non-Chilean applicants to this role must reside in Chile and/or 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, ethnicity, or religion.

ESO Values:

An important element in any successful employment relationship is harmony in values between an organisation and its people.

The ESO values are:

ESO strives for excellence through innovation.

ESO provides outstanding services to its communities.

ESO fosters diversity & inclusion.

ESO believes in the key role of sustainability for its future.

Achieving the above are recognized as only possible on the basis of personal values and attitudes that we expect from our employees: respect, integrity, accountability, commitment, collaboration, and clear & open communication. Applicants to any ESO role are asked to reflect on their affinity with these values and advised they may be asked about them if called for interview.

Diversity:

ESO has established diversity as an important value of the Organisation, is committed to providing an equal opportunities environment and is actively seeking to promote a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce.