ISAAC NEWTON GROUP OF TELESCOPES
A vacancy exists for an electronics engineer with extensive experience in the areas of instrument control, servo systems, high tolerance positioning and signal processing, to head up the Telescope and Instrumentation Group. This post is a key role in the Engineering Group - responsible for developing and maintaining ING’s telescopes and instrumentation and reports directly to the Head of Engineering.
The Isaac Newton Group comprises three optical telescopes: the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope (WHT), the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) and the 1-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope (JKT). They are situated at an altitude of 2400m at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Our telescopes are equipped with an extensive range of imaging and spectrographic instruments. ING has commissioned NAOMI, a state of the art adaptive optics (AO) system on the WHT, and is continuing to develop this system operationally. Additionally, work is just beginning on a newly funded project to develop a Laser Guide Star to complete the AO suite. ING’s other major strategic development area is the upgrade to AutoFib2, a robotic placement multi-object fibre feed unit for spectroscopy. The telescopes achieve world-class performance and are in operation 365 nights of the year.
The Telescope and Instrument Engineering Group provides key technology skills to the ING, having responsibility for electronic, mechanical, optical, and detector engineering for ING’s telescopes and instruments. This Group provides operational support at the observatory, as well as develops existing systems and leads new instrumentation projects. You will work in close collaboration with astronomers and engineers, as well as with the operations team in order to ensure optimal operational performance.
Duties and Responsibilities
The main duties and responsibilities of the post are:
· Ensuring that telescope and instrument systems at ING are effectively maintained and developed to meet observational and strategic needs.
· Supervising, motivating and developing Telescope and Instrumentation Group personnel to achieve a high standard of professionalism.
· Leading the group of professional engineers who provide specialist engineering expertise in support of ING’s telescopes and instruments.
· Co-ordinating and managing the work undertaken by the group. In particular, controlling the allocation of resources between the development programme and operational support.
· Liaising with the Head of Astronomy, Telescope Managers and Project Scientists over the requirements for operations and developments.
· Liaising with the Operations Manager over the deployment of Telescope and Instrumentation group staff in support of operations, both onto the operations team and as duty engineers.
· Liaising with the Heads of the Control Software and Computer Facilities groups in relation to technical issues and the deployment of resources for operational and development duties.
· Acting as a project manager on development projects. Planning and implementing projects across all engineering disciplines including the provision of design and equipment by external sources
· Maintaining awareness of developments and techniques in the astronomical and engineering fields of telescopes and instruments and implementing at ING where appropriate.
· Preparing and managing the Telescope and Instrumentation Group’s budget.
· Having a ‘hands on’ role in electronics fault diagnosis, repair and development. Serving on the Operations Team and providing night-time support either as Duty Engineer/Incident Officer or for other specific activities, including testing and commissioning.
Knowledge and experience
While the successful applicant is expected to be an electronics engineer, an appreciation of optics, mechanical engineering and adaptive optics to a level sufficient to guide and support the specialist engineers in the group is needed.
Other essential requirements include: -
· Full range of electronics engineering abilities from being able to design electronics systems and hands-on diagnosis and solving of faults.
· The ability to provide strategic leadership to the Telescope and Instrument Group in order to maintain ING telescopes as best of their class.
· Affinity with project management principles, including a proven track record in delivering successful projects to time, cost and scope.
· The ability to lead a team working to deadlines, sometimes under demanding conditions, and occasionally, at unsocial hours.
· Budgetary management skills.
Preferred candidates will have: -
· Experience in astronomical telescopes and / or instrumentation or equivalent scientific fields
· A degree in an appropriate discipline
· Three years experience in a similar senior position
· Registered engineer status
Candidates without the full range of knowledge and experience set out above may be considered provided they can demonstrate the potential and motivation to grow into the post.
Fluent spoken and written English is essential. Knowledge of Spanish is an advantage. Applicants must be fit to work at high altitude. A valid driving licence is required.
The salary for the post is 40,837 euros per annum, increasing to 42,987 euros after one year’s service, subject to satisfactory performance. A relocation package will be made available where appropriate.
For further information on the Isaac Newton Group and La Palma please consult our web pages: http://www.ing.iac.es. For further information on the post please contact Gordon Talbot, Head of Engineering: rgt@ing.iac.es
To apply please send a completed application form, available at www.ing.iac.es/About-ING/Vacancies/vacancies1.html, by email: recruit@ing.iac.es or by post: Lucy Lawler, Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, Sea Level Office, Apartado de Correos 321, 38700 Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain. The closing date for applications is 14 May 2004.
Lucy Lawler Isaac Newton Group
For Director, ING 15 April 2004