High Performance Data Analysis Specialist

Submission Information
Publish Date: 
Friday, July 1, 2016
Archive Date: 
Friday, July 29, 2016
Job Summary
Job Category: 
Other
Institution Classification/Type: 
Other
Institution/Company: 
SKA Organisation
City: 
Macclesfield
State/Province: 
Country: 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Announcement
Job Announcement Text: 

SKA ORGANISATION
Job Particulars
High Performance Data Analysis Specialist
Application deadline: 31st July 2016

Competitive Salary and Flexible Benefits


Job Title:  High Performance Data Analysis Specialist
Reference: HPDAS/01
Reports To: SKA Head of Computing and Software

Closing Date for applications: Closing date for receipt of completed applications is 31st July 2016.  For details of how to apply please see below. 
Submission of applications: Email to [email protected]


Organisation Background
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a global project to build a multi-purpose radio telescope that will play a major role in answering key questions in modern astrophysics and cosmology.  It will be one of a small number of cornerstone observatories around the world that will provide astrophysicists and cosmologists with a transformational view of the Universe. The SKA will be constructed in two distinct phases. The major science goals for the first phase, SKA1, will be to study the history and role of neutral Hydrogen in the Universe from the dark ages to the present-day, and to employ pulsars as probes of fundamental physics.

Since 2008, the global radio astronomy community has been engaged in the development of the SKA as a major part of the ‘Preparatory’ phase of the project.  The Preparatory phase ended in December 2011 and, following a number of major changes, the international SKA project has now progressed to the ‘Pre-Construction’ phase (2012-17) with the establishment of a new legal entity, the SKA Organisation, on 14 December 2011.  Ten governments are now participating in the project, with others engaged in discussions concerning possible membership. The SKA Organisation is headquartered in a purpose-built building at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, UK.

General Description
The Office of the SKA Organisation (“SKA Office”) leads the SKA system design and oversees the detailed design being undertaken within the globally distributed SKA work packages (WPs).  To accomplish this goal the SKA Office employs highly qualified scientists and engineers, project managers and system engineers. Work packages for the major SKA subsystems (elements) are contracted to a small number of work package consortia who are responsible for the management, execution and delivery of the work packages. The technical strategy and philosophy of the project are strongly based on system engineering principles.

The Role
The SKA Computing and Software team are staff with extensive experience in a particular field of interest to the SKA.  They may cross work breakdown structure boundaries and advise more than one work package manager.  They support the SKA Head of Project in the generation of the top level requirements and engineering activities. Computing specialists provide engineering performance analysis as well as costing and other information to work package managers.


The SKA will make extensive use of High Performance computing in a near-exascale computing platform. The data flow is continuous with an ingress rate of the order of 5 Tbits/sec and the egress rate of the order of 100 Gibits/sec, with 10 cycles of the main iteration loop required in a 6 hour time window. This role is to provide core expertise in High Performance Data Analysis (HPDA), High Throughput Computing (HTC) and High Performance Computing (HPC) to the SKA Organisation and work with the Scientific Data Processing (SDP) work-package consortium in particular.

The successful applicant for this role will be:
• Holder of a recognised university degree-level education/training in engineering or physical sciences.
• Experienced in the development and support of high performance computing systems.
• A technical expert in one or more of the following:

  •  High performance data analysis in a data driven environment.
  • Astronomical Data Analysis.
  • A comparable system that can be demonstrated to have similar characteristics.

• Experienced in developing C++ and Python software in a GNU/Linux environment.
• Able to communicate in English in a friendly and effective manner, both orally and in writing, to an audience that spans a wide range of cultures and    backgrounds.
• Experience in presenting work orally at meetings and other forums.
• Able to work effectively with SKA engineers and scientists from a variety of cultures, and
• Willing to travel, nationally and internationally, and work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends;

The main functions of this role will be to:
• Work with the Head of Computing and Software; the Science Data Processor Integrated Engineering Team and the consortia responsible for      delivering the SKA work packages.
• Develop the Science Date Processor architecture and standards in conjunction with the Science Data Processor engineering consortium.
• Work with SKA Regional Centres around the world to ensure they share common best practice techniques and integrate with the central telescope    facilities.
• Develop and support the development and deployment tools that will be used across the SKA control system.

In addition, the role will be required to:
• Undertake training in the financial, occupational health and safety, and human resource management procedures applicable to the SKA or its    partners.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the post holder’s line manager or a member of SKA Organisation Senior Management Team.

The ideal candidate would also be:
• Familiar with methods and algorithms used in Radio Astronomy Interferometry.
• Familiar with the formalism for, and requirements of, quality control environments such as ISO9000.

For more information on the SKA project visit http://www.skatelescope.org. The SKA Organisation offers a competitive salary, a generous company pension scheme and a flexible benefits package. The successful applicant’s workplace will be located at the SKA Organisation’s Global headquarters in Jodrell Bank Observatory.


How to apply:

Please send a CV and covering letter, including details of your current remuneration, to [email protected], quoting reference HPDAS/01.  Applications should include a summary of your project experience, detailing how you meet the essential and desirable knowledge, skills and experience criteria, and the names of at least three professional referees, one of whom must be your current employer (or most recent employer if not currently working).  Closing date for receipt of applications is 31st July 2016.
When applying please state where you saw the vacancy advertised.

Equal Opportunities Statement:
SKA Organisation is committed to being an equal opportunities employer.  Our aim to is recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or nationality. 

At all stages of the recruitment process and beyond, we strive to treat applicants and employees with a high standard of care, honesty and politeness. 

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Organisation 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.  If you need equipment or adjustments to enable you to complete your application and/or attend an interview then please let us know.

Included Benefits: 

Competitive Salary and Flexible Benefits

Application Deadline: 
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Current Status of Position: 
No Status Given (Opted Out)
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Attention To: 
Andrew Taylor
Title: 
Mr
Institution/Company: 
SKA Organisation
Street Line 1: 
Jodrell Bank Observatory
Street Line 2: 
Jodrell Bank
City: 
Macclesfield
State/Province: 
Zip/Postal Code: 
SK119DL
Country: 
UK
Phone: 
01613069600
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