Scientific Computing Engineer on the MIRI instrument of the JWST space telescope

Technical/Administrative fixed-term contract

Contract duration: 12 months

Missions

Within the framework of the MIRI France centre of expertise, you will be in charge of setting up, testing and validating the data processing chains of the MIRI imager in order to ensure the production and dissemination of the first scientific data within the international scientific community.

Activities

- Preparation of the processing chains

The first step will be to become familiar with the JWST project, both the MIRI instrument and its characteristics, the ground tests already performed and the imager data processing chains implemented in the official pipeline provided by the Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore (STSCI). Simulations with the MIRI instrument simulator can be used to study the pipeline for planned observations.

- Updating and validating the processing chains:

The first data from the MIRI imager, expected in July, from the science observations (Early Release Science programmes) and commissioning tests, will be used to test and update the instrument pipeline. New high-level algorithms will also have to be validated with the collaboration's scientists and then integrated (in Python language) into the official processing chains. These processing chains will have to be tested and validated (continuous integration) before being put into production.

Interactions with the American and European MIRI teams.

- Production and dissemination

The products resulting from the processing chains will have to be made available to the scientific community in accordance with the FAIR principle. The engineer recruited will ensure that the data produced can be made available through the Virtual Observatory. The prepared data can be automatically ingested into the existing REGARDS infrastructure (https://github.com/RegardsOss) within IDOC.

Skills

- Data analysis and processing

- Signal processing and image processing

- Linux environment

- Python language

- Python software development environment, Gitlab

- Technical English

- Interpersonal skills

Work context : MIRI /JWST (NASA/ESA/CSA space mission)The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the largest and most ambitious space telescope ever launched. It carries four scientific instruments, including the mid-infrared instrument MIRI (5-28 μm), which consists of an imager built under French responsibility (CNES), and an integral field spectrometer. The first tests on these instruments have confirmed their exceptional performance.