Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), as part of The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), designs, builds, and supports state-of-the-art instruments for ground and space-based astrophysical research. As part of our charter of “Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe” CfA seeks to answer big science questions such as:
● How did stars and galaxies form in the early Universe?
● How do galaxies grow and evolve?
● What is the nature of the dominant dark matter in galaxies?
● How do stars and planets form and evolve?
● Does life exist outside the solar system?
The Central Engineering Department develops cutting edge tools to answer these fundamental questions. As a member of Central Engineering, you will work with a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and scientists to design and build the next generation of telescopes and space probes to advance humanity’s understanding of the Universe. We are seeking a senior mechanical engineer with leadership ability in the areas of mechanisms, optics and custom hardware development to work with our innovative team that is developing instrumentation and telescope subsystems for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT).
The 25 meter GMT with its huge collecting area and powerful instruments will enable a leap in astrophysical discovery. The CfA is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and jointly operates optical and infrared telescopes at Mt. Hopkins in Arizona and Las Campanas in Chile. This position is in Cambridge, MA.
A detailed description of the duties and qualifications of this position can be found here:
https://pweb.cfa.harvard.edu/opportunities/sao-employment-opportunities/...
