ALMA Regional Centre Astronomer

The ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) department at ESO provides the interface between the European ALMA Users Community and the ALMA observatory in Chile. Its mission is: ​To achieve, promote, and provide high-caliber support to the ALMA user community and to ALMA Observatory global operations, including coordinated delivery of software. To provide quality-assured, high-quality data products for PIs and archive users, within target time-windows. To facilitate ALMA science performed by expert and non-expert users alike via coordination of user support.

The ARC is looking for an astronomer with a strong and active research profile in radio or millimetre astronomy. The ARC Astronomer will contribute to core ARC duties, and in particular to those related to the quality assurance of ALMA data delivered to European PIs. The post holder should have a strong interest in maximizing ALMA’s science output through conducting expert user support and operations support tasks and contributing to the development of efficient processes and tools.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Play a key role in the ALMA quality assurance process in Europe by performing both manual and pipeline reduction of interferometric and single dish data, and oversee reprocessing efforts;
• Perform general ARC duties, including Helpdesk and Phase 2 support;
• Perform Astronomer-on-Duty shifts in Chile;
• Proactively propose improvements of existing processes and documentation, and suggest new methods to increase quality and efficiency of ARC services;
• Contribute to the development of training material for ALMA users;
• As an astronomer and member of the ESO Astronomy Faculty, you will be expected and encouraged to conduct a strong personal research programme and to participate actively in the scientific life of ESO and interact with other parts of the wider organisation;
• The tasks are not limited to the above and a flexible approach and willingness to adapt is required.

Reports to:

The post holder reports to the Head of the ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) Department. The ARC is a department of currently 13 people and is part of the ESO ALMA Support Centre (EASC) division.

Key Competences and Experience

Essential Competences and Experience:

• Several years of active astronomical research at least at postdoctoral level with a solid publication record

and continuing research activity in astronomy;

• Knowledge of astronomical radio/millimetre observing techniques and data analysis;
• Experience in the use of large observing facilities and an understanding of their operations concepts;
• Excellent cross-disciplinary communication skills both oral and written;
• Effective and committed team player with ability to build effective links across different teams;
• Pro-active approach to contribute ideas for improvement and future developments;
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills;
• Flexibility in adapting to changes of requirements and priorities as well as of assignments;
• Open and friendly attitude to interact with a variety of users.

Desirable Competences and Experience:

• Familiarity with CASA;
• Knowledge of single-dish observing and data reduction as well as experience with array combination;
• Ability to and experience of working efficiently within an international and multi-cultural environment both independently and within a team.

Qualifications:

Essential educational level: Ph.D in Astronomy, Physics or equivalent

Language Skills:

The position requires an excellent working knowledge of English.