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.



Construction activities for the SKAO's telescopes in Australia and South Africa started in 2021, along with a ramping up of SKAO staff in both countries. It is expected that the transition from the Construction Phase to the Operations Phase will happen around 2028.



SKAO Operations in South Africa will be conducted in partnership with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). SKAO Operations in Australia will be conducted in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The Observatory will also partner closely with a global network of SKA Regional Centres through which astronomers will access science data products and a suite of tools and resources to further analyse the SKA telescopes' data.



For more information on the SKA project visit https://www.skao.int/



The SKA Observatory offers a competitive salary and a generous pension and benefits package. As an employee of an intergovernmental organisation, an appointee who is not a national of the country in which the role is based may be subject to personal Privileges and Immunities.



An exciting opportunity for a Systems Engineer with experience in large multi-disciplinary projects to join an international, multicultural organisation and contribute to delivering a next generation radio telescope.




The Role



The Systems Engineer will support the SKA-Low Telescope Systems Engineer and be accountable for all systems engineering activities and deliverables for the SKA-Low Infrastructure product (fibre, power distribution, processing facilities, and site monitoring equipment).



This role will report to the Head of Systems Engineering as part of a nine-person team spanning multiple countries and working with a wide range of internal and external teams and contractors.

The role will be based in Perth, Australia or possibly (if requested by the successful candidate) in Geraldton, Australia. This is a two-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



~50% of the role: Be the Design Authority for the SKA-Low Infrastructure product:


Be responsible for ensuring the delivered solution meets goals, needs and specifications. Work closely with the Fibres, Power and Buildings technical specialists. Maintain the Product Breakdown Structure (PBS), Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and requirements tree for SKA-Low Infrastructure and its sub-products. Contribute to the Engineering Change Proposals related to SKA Low Infrastructure and coordinate and support their implementation once approved. Coordinate and support the resolution of technical issues related to SKA-Low Infrastructure. Support the integration of SKA-Low Infrastructure products by the system AIV team. Monitor design compliance and verification status of delivered products. Support configuration of as-built and product documentation.

~50% of the role: Support the SKA-Low Telescope Systems Engineer to:


Maintain L1 Requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) related to the SKA-Low Telescope and ensure that the lower-level requirements and ICDs are developed and maintained by the Product Delivery Teams (PDTs). Support the Telescope Delivery Team (TDT) in delivering a telescope that satisfies the System requirements and interface definitions and will be handed over to Operations at the Operations Readiness Review (ORR) milestone. Coordinate and guide the PDTs to apply systems engineering best practices within their product lifecycles, ensuring that requirements flow-down, traceability, change control, compliance, and verification are done at all PBS levels, to the extent that is feasible within project constraints. Work closely with the System Assembly, Integration and Verification (sAIV) team on defining test cases, test plans and test reports, ensuring test coverage is complete, and reviewing and evaluating both the test descriptions and their results. Identify high-impact gaps and issues and coordinate the resolution of these issues.

The role will require frequent national and international travel to SKAO sites and suppliers (typically one week every 6 to 8 weeks for national travel and one or two times per year for one to two weeks for the international travel). Additionally, during the first year, the person will need to spend at least one full month at the SKAO Headquarters at Jodrell Bank in the United Kingdom to develop strong relations with the colleagues based there.



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. Ability to deliver and lead on the delivery of joined up solutions across a range of stakeholders. Ability to represent complex behaviour in a simple, clear and aesthetic way. Excellent organisational, time management and prioritising skills. Good communication skills. Ability to build good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Resilient and capable of managing challenging situations constructively. Flexible team player who is adaptable to change.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience


Ability to present to international and other forums. Experience working with infrastructure deliverables (e.g. buildings, fibre, power, etc). Experience working as a systems engineer during the procurement, construction and verification stages of a project. Recognised systems engineering certification (e.g., INCOSE CSEP, ASEP, or equivalent). Experience in using MBSE tools (e.g. Cameo Enterprise Architecture). Experience in using requirements management tools (e.g. Jama). Knowledge of systems engineering of software systems and agile software development. Knowledge of project management processes and tools. Solution oriented with the ability to apply both logic and creativity to arising issues. Experience or ability to lead a function or a cross-functional team.

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.