Motion Control Software Engineer

BACKGROUND

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the most powerful ground-based telescope ever engineered. It was designed to push the boundaries of human knowledge and discover the unknown. With unmatched image quality, seven of the world’s largest mirrors will launch our view into the universe to uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and search for signs of life on distant exoplanets for the first time.

The 30-meter class telescope is under construction at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the best locations on Earth to view the heavens. From this unrivaled vantage into the southern sky, the Giant Magellan Telescope will produce the sharpest and most detailed images ever taken of our universe, ten times greater than the famed Hubble Space Telescope and four times the James Webb Space Telescope.

When complete in the late 2020s, the Giant Magellan Telescope will be the largest public-private funded science project in history. The endeavor was founded by an international consortium of leading universities and research institutions representing five countries, and is managed by the GMTO Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Pasadena, California. Our culture is impactful, inclusive, and fearlessly innovative. We solve the most difficult engineering challenges and scientific questions with talented individuals who share a passion for revolutionizing humanity’s knowledge of the universe.

We invite you to join our team and leave your mark on astronomy’s future and beyond.

The Universe Awaits.

 

JOB SUMMARY

The Motion Control Software Engineer will be part of the Software and Controls (SWC) team and will be responsible to specify, design, implement and test the software for different motion control systems in the GMT telescope (mount control system, enclosure control system, etc.). These device control systems will be integrated into the GMT Observatory Control System (OCS).

This position requires equivalent experience with similar software control systems in other observatories. The Motion Control Software Engineer will work closely with the Software and Controls team and other GMT subsystem teams to provide a high-quality and a high-value device control software to the users of the GMT control system.

To be able to recommend and implement innovative solutions, the Motion Control Software Engineer is expected to keep up-to-date with current trends and tools in real time control applications. This position will report to the Software and Controls Manager.

 

JOB DUTIES

• Review and create requirements documentation for device motion control systems
• Define and test formal interfaces with external contractors and software teams
• Designing and implement control software applications for the telescope subsystems
• Design and implement simulators for control systems
• Design and implement model based development tools
• Follow coding standards, builds unit tests, integration tests and deployment scripts
• Work collaboratively with the architecture and development teams
• Install and setup required software and hardware
• Integrate, verify, and validate software with external contractors and software teams
• Provide reports on progress and problems
• Write technical reports, manuals and support documentation
• Prepare and deliver presentations at project reviews and conferences
• Support developers and community on support forums, mailing lists, wikis, etc.

 

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering or a related discipline
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience
• Previous experience developing motion control applications for telescopes
• C/C++ programming in real time operating systems
• Experience with trajectory control, including PVAT modes, interpolation, etc.
• Experience with motion control industry standards
• Structured Text programming for PLCs (IEC 61131-3) and PLCopen Motion Control Library
• Experience with industrial fieldbuses and networks: EtherCAT, OPC-UA, CANOpen
• Experience developing with Linux
• Ability to debug complex systems
• Familiarity with hardware device management in Linux
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment
• Ability to work with cross-functional work teams and users
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Willingness and ability to travel to foreign and domestic vendor, partner, and observatory locations as the need arises

 

DESIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES

• Python and JavaScript development
• Understanding of RTOS kernel architectures and APIs
• RT-Preempt and other RT Linux extensions
• Experience with Model Based Software Engineering based on DSLs
• UML and RT extensions
• Experience with SysML
• Experience in agile projects
• Experience with TwinCAT
• Experience with Servo Drive Systems
• Experience with BACnet protocol

 

APPLYING

To apply send your resume or CV and a cover letter to [email protected].

If your skills and experience are a match for the position or if we need additional information, we will contact you. If we do not see a suitable match between your qualifications and the position, we will keep your information on file in the event future positions become available that are more suitable to your qualifications. The GMTO Corporation is an equal employment opportunity employer.