Job Details

Number:

07110701

Title:

Senior Systems Engineer

Closing Date:

Description:

Type:  Full time, professional.

Location:  GMT Project Office, Pasadena CA

Background:
The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) Project is a collaboration of major US and international educational and research institutions constructing a next-generation extremely large optical/infrared telescope for scientific astronomical research.  GMT will have a segmented primary mirror 25 meters in diameter and will be located at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The telescope is being designed with adaptive optics and an advanced suite of instruments to support a diverse program of key scientific investigations.  The Project has completed the conceptual design of the telescope and facility and is currently in the Design Development Phase.  The GMT members include Carnegie Institution of Washington, Harvard University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, University of Arizona, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and the Australian National University.  The project office is located in Pasadena, California.

GMT website:  www.gmto.org

Job Summary:
The Senior Systems Engineer will be a key member of the team designing and constructing GMT.  He/she will lead a group responsible for translating the high level scientific requirements of the project into engineering specifications and for ensuring that the subsystems of the telescope operate as a whole to achieve those requirements.  He/she reports directly to the GMT Project Manager and will work closely with the oversight committees of the project:  the Science Advisory Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee.

It is expected that the Senior Systems Engineer will develop a comprehensive understanding of the technical aspects of the project including the telescope, instrumentation, and enclosure and how the systems will perform under various operating modes and environmental conditions.  He/she will collaborate with other groups to implement systems engineering controls (error budgets, design requirements documents, interface control, quality assurance) for the project.  During design and construction the Senior Systems Engineer will monitor technical developments to ensure overall compliance with the system requirements and manage trade-offs of the error budgets as designs progress.

The Senior Systems Engineer will also oversee performance modeling of the telescope performed by the project engineering staff and external groups.  The Senior Systems Engineer is expected to take an active, hands-on role in all these efforts. 

Job Duties:

The Senior Systems Engineer will:

• Lead the four-person Systems Engineering Group.
• Recruit other members for the SE group.
• Specify and implement the document management and configuration control systems.
• Prepare and maintain the group work breakdown structure, budget, and schedule. 
• Prepare reports for GMT project management and oversight committees.
• Prepare and deliver presentations at project reviews and conferences.

The Senior Systems Engineer will work closely with other GMT groups to:

• Develop the structure and define the content for design requirement and interface control documents.  Assist other groups in the preparation of these documents.
• Derive subsystem requirements from the top-level GMT scientific, programmatic, technical and operational requirements.
• Prepare and manage the top-down and bottom-up system error budgets.
• Develop a quality assurance program.
• Coordinate integration and test plans.
• Organize and manage performance modeling of the mechanical, optical, and control systems of the telescope in the presence of wind disturbance and atmospheric turbulence effects.

Minimum Requirements:

• An advanced engineering or scientific degree in a technical field such as controls, optics, or structures is required.
• 10 years experience with complex optical systems with a demonstrated ability to manage a technical group effort in a similar area.
• A working knowledge of systems engineering techniques as applied to large projects.
• Willingness and ability to travel to foreign and domestic vendor, partner, and observatory locations as the need arises.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience with telescope or aerospace systems is strongly preferred.
• Experience with project management techniques.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Good computer skills.
• Demonstrated leadership capability.

Compensation

GMTO Corporation offers a competitive compensation package including medical and retirement benefits.  The level of compensation will depend on the experience of the applicant.  Employment will be though the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW).  CIW is an equal opportunity employer.

Applying
Applicants should submit a Letter of Interest and a Resume using this website. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.  Please refer to the Job Number in the letter.