Job Description

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development.



More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.



Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.



Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.



Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us!



An exciting opportunity for an experienced Systems Engineer to join an international, multicultural organisation and contribute to the construction of computing infrastructure for two of the largest radio telescope arrays in the world.




The Role



We are looking for an experienced Systems Engineer with knowledge of High Performance Computing Systems and/or cloud-native technologies to help deliver two next generation radio telescopes - one being built in South Africa, and one in Australia. This computing infrastructure will be used to monitor and control the telescopes, and process and package the science data for the end users.



This person will be part of a cross-functional team responsible for delivering all the networking and compute hardware for both telescopes, and will work closely with project managers, systems engineers, technical specialists and suppliers. They will be responsible for the systems engineering activities pertaining to the procurement, installation and testing for a range of COTS-based clusters and storage systems.



The role will report to the Head of Systems Engineering.

This role is based at the SKAO Headquarters at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, UK and is a three year fixed term contract.

SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory.



There may be occasions where this role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.





Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties


Write technical specifications as input to suppliers. Write Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between compute equipment and other sub-systems and host buildings. Manage configuration and baselines of technical documentation. Capture and diagram architecture as needed to guide integration efforts. Lead reviews to assess compliance of the submitted design against specifications, ICDs. Define how the system will be verified. Lead reviews of integration and test results. Track verification of the as-delivered hardware. Support configuration of as-built and product documentation. Travel locally and internationally several times per year, as required.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience


University degree in Engineering, Telecommunications or Physics, or equivalent experience. Substantial experience working as a systems engineer in complex, large-scale, technology systems. Experience working as a systems engineer during the procurement, construction, and verification stages of a project. Excellent organisational, time management and prioritising skills. Good communication skills with the ability to present to international and other forums. Ability to build good and flexible working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience


Experience with design, scaling, integration, testing and maintenance of High Performance Computing Systems. Recognised systems engineering certification. Familiar with Requirements Management Tools such as Jama. Knowledge of project management.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory's agenda.



Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background.



Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants.



Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.



SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries.



The "How to Apply" information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.