Task Lead Roman SSC

Submission Information
Publish Date: 
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Archive Date: 
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Job Summary
Job Category: 
Scientific/Technical Staff
Institution Classification/Type: 
Small Academic
Institution/Company: 
Caltech
Department Name: 
IPAC
City: 
Pasadena
State/Province: 
CA
Zip/Postal: 
91125
Country: 
United States of America
Announcement
Job Announcement Text: 

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

IPAC at the California Institute of Technology invites applications for a position of Task Lead of the Roman SSC at IPAC.

IPAC, in the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Division at Caltech, provides science operations, user support, data and archive services, and scientific vision to enhance discovery with observatories both in space and on the ground. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA observatory designed to address key questions about the nature of dark energy, the census of exoplanets, and general infrared astrophysics. It is slated for launch in the mid-2020’s. The Roman Science Support Center (SSC) at IPAC is a part of the Roman Ground Data System and provides algorithm and software development and data processing for the Galactic Bulge Time Domain, High Latitude Wide Area and the High Latitude Time Domain surveys. In addition, the SSC will support the operations of the Coronagraph Instrument, manage the Roman general and guest investigator proposal solicitations, and provide community support for exoplanet and wide-field spectroscopy science with Roman. For more details, see: https://roman.ipac.caltech.edu 

Job Duties

The Task Lead of the Roman SSC at IPAC reports to the IPAC Director’s Office. As Task Lead, your job responsibilities will include:

  • Lead the development, deployment, testing, and operations of the Roman Science Support Center in partnership with the Lead Scientist.
  • Manage the budget, schedule and staffing for Roman work at IPAC.
  • Report progress and status to the Roman Ground System.
  • Manage externam interfaces and documents, including those related to contract reporting and system security.
  • Participate in external meetings (virtual and in-person) with the community and the Roman Project Partners, especially the Ground System elements, the Project Science Office and the Coronagraph Instrument team at JPL.

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of experience, Master’s degree with 10 years of experience or PhD with 8 years of experience in astrophysics, engineering or a closely related field.
  • Experience leading a technical team.
  • Experience using project management tools such as budgets, schedules, milestone tracking, and staff motivation.
  • Ability to work in a team environment, including good written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to collaborate with multiple Roman partners distributed across many institutions.

Preferred Qualifications  

These are a set of skills and experiences which will add to your ability to contribute to the roles and responsibilities of the position. The following attributes would make you a better fit for this position, but even if these do not describe you or your experience, we would still like to hear from you.

  • Experience with astronomical or NASA projects.
  • Experience with Earned Value Management.
  • Experience with software pipelines, spacecraft commanding or system engineering.

Required Documents

  • Full resume
  • Cover letter
  • List of three professional references.

People choose to work at IPAC for many reasons, and the casual, employee-centric culture often leads to fulfilling, long-term careers and lasting professional relationships. Caltech’s benefits program offers a quality, competitive benefits package that is affordable for you and the Institute. The program provides a strong base of coverage for you and your dependents, and the ability to choose the plan and the level of coverage that best meet your needs. We also offer a 403(b) defined contribution plan to eligible staff as well as a Voluntary Retirement Savings (TDA) Plan. IPAC staff have access to the Institute’s facilities, including the athletic center, libraries, on-site daycare, professional development and enrichment classes, and Athenaeum club membership.

MORE INFORMATION AND THE FULL JOB LISTING CAN BE FOUND ON THE CALTECH CAREER CENTER

Application Deadline: 
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Selection Deadline: 
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Current Status of Position: 
Accepting Applicants
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Task Lead Roman SSC at IPAC