Department: Physics and Astronomy-319000
Career Area : Engineering and Architecture
Posting Open Date: 02/14/2024
Application Deadline: 04/10/2024
Open Until Filled: No
Position Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
Working Title: Argus Array Lead Engineer
Appointment Type: EHRA Non-Faculty
Position Number: ********
Vacancy ID: NF0007831
Full Time/Part Time: Full-Time Permanent
FTE: 1
Hours per week: 40
Position Location: North Carolina, US
Hiring Range: Dependent on qualifications and experience
Proposed Start Date: 04/01/2024
Be a Tar Heel!: The Argus Array will be the first very large optical telescope array, with a light collecting area equivalent to a 5-meter telescope and a field of view encompassing the entire sky at once. Argus will be the world's largest optical telescope array (by a factor of ten) and, at 55 Gigapixels, by far the largest digital camera ever built. The Array will push our observations of the universe into a new regime, scanning the sky 100,000x faster than current nightly-cadence sky surveys. Argus will capture a continuous two-color, 55-gigapixel movie of the night sky, shared with the entire astronomical community in real-time through public transient alerts, images, and light curves with millions of epochs for hundreds of millions of stars. Joining our team of astronomers, telescope-instrumentalists and data scientists, you will be responsible for the Argus Array's project engineering and management.
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities . Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance. Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit: Our primary mission is providing instruction of the highest quality in physics and astronomy to undergraduate and graduate students at UNC-CH. Training in physics is fundamental among the natural sciences because it provides understanding of the forces governing the structure of matter, from subatomic particles to the large-scale structure of the universe.
Our departmental instructional mission spans all segments of the student community. Over 60% of all college graduates from UNC-CH have taken a course in our department. Among them: undergraduate liberal arts majors who should master the power of quantitative reasoning; undergraduates seeking a degree in another of the natural sciences, who need physics as a foundation for their advanced scientific training; the small number of undergraduates who major in physics, to whom we provide broad and rigorous training. Our graduate education and research advances frontiers of knowledge at the two extremes of space and time, from the very small) the realm of particle physics) to the very large (the realm of astronomy, while expanding the boundaries of knowledge in the many subfields spanning length scales between. Forefront physics and astronomy research requires access to well-equipped laboratories and extensive computing capabilities; it also must be supported by comprehensive and accessible library collections. Again, in research at this advanced level, the bridging aspect of physics provides basic interdisciplinary insight for many other sciences.
This instructional mission is supported by a strong managerial, administrative, and technical staff. Duties of these employees range from budget planning and management for the numerous research grants held by faculty in the department to maintaining course and student records. These activities are usually accomplished in a standard 40- hour week schedule. Position Summary: The Argus Array will be the first very large optical telescope array, with a light collecting area equivalent to a 5-meter telescope and a field of view encompassing the entire sky at once. Argus will be the world's largest optical telescope array (by a factor of ten) and, at 55 Gigapixels, by far the largest digital camera ever built. The Array will push our observations of the universe into a new regime, scanning the sky 100,000x faster than current nightly-cadence sky surveys. Argus will capture a continuous two-color, 55-gigapixel movie of the night sky, shared with the entire astronomical community in real-time through public transient alerts, images, and light curves with millions of epochs for hundreds of millions of stars.
Joining our team of astronomers, telescope-instrumentalists and data scientists, you will be responsible for the Argus Array's project engineering and management. Three years of prototyping efforts have developed and validated the system design and all major subsystems; we are now funded to scale up to the full Argus Array. This scale up involves the design and construction of the system's external enclosure and tracking mount; the at-scale production of the telescope assemblies; construction of the array's computing cluster, and the final assembly and commissioning of the Array. Major components of the Array, including the optical and sensor assemblies and the telescope cradle, will be manufactured by contractors under your supervision, in collaboration with the Argus team.
Our project management philosophy emphasizes a small and local team; flat management structure; and a highly-collaborative working environment. We routinely produce prototypes and complex hardware in-house, and expect to perform significant hands-on engineering for Argus subsystems. Array deployment sites currently under consideration include mountaintop observatories in North America, the Chilean Andes, and the Canary Islands. The expected timescale for this position is four years, with possibility of extension to further projects.
Responsibilities:
- Leading the coordination, project management and oversight of the Argus Array hardware engineering program, including the design, manufacturing, construction, safety, quality management, risk and project schedule.
- Participating in the development of hardware components of the system, in collaboration with project staff and graduate students.
- Managing project documentation and participating in external design reviews.
- Management of the site preparation and array deployment program and leading the on-site engineering commissioning of the array.
Learn more about the project here: Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: We are searching for an experienced engineer with at least ten years of construction/fabrication project management experience; at least four of those years in a lead management role. You don't have to have astronomy experience, but leadership experience in complex technical projects is required.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: Someone who understands structural, mechanical, electrical, and infrastructure systems.
Complex understanding of technology, electronics, and machines.
Complexity and excel at solving problems efficiently
A leader but also adapt readily to fluid, collaborative team environments.
Skilled at working with contractors and vendors.
Able to iterate and improve on designs as needed.
Someone who can quickly learn and adapt in new surroundings and is enthusiastic about the chance to build a unique, world-class telescope array. Special Physical/Mental Requirements: Travel to the Argus construction site will be required.
Campus Security Authority Responsibilities: Not Applicable.
