General Notes

The engineering work from this position will be part of the application of a wide range of disciplines including, mechanical, optical, electronic, vacuum, cryogenic, and software engineering, used together to build state-of-the-art research instrumentation for astronomy. The research with those instruments includes the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, understanding how the elements and their various isotopes were formed, understanding how the successive generations of stars have changed the chemical composition of the universe, understanding the mechanisms that change the galaxies with time, and understanding the history of the expansion of the universe itself.

Purpose

This position works in the McDonald Observatory's instrumentation group, exercising a wide latitude of independent judgment to design, analyze, build, test, and support optomechanical and electromechanical subsystems for the McDonald Observatory instrument and telescope development projects. This position reports to the Chief Scientist.

Responsibilities

• Designs and develops scientific instrumentation and mechanical equipment, often iteratively, including detailed requirements, design, modeling, and analysis, with wide latitude for independent action and decision.
• Interfaces with project leadership and staff to contribute substantially to the development of design concepts and requirements for new projects. Performs prototypes and supporting analyses and writes reports.
• Produces fabrication drawings. Places, monitors, and supports fabrication of designed parts in machines and other workshops.
• Directs, coordinates, or assists, according to assignment, in the assembly, deployment, commissioning, and field support of developed instrumentation and mechanical equipment.
• Documents projects, and submits technical reports and project results to management. Participate in design reviews and the publication of journal articles as appropriate.
• Continues development of engineering skill set and identifies new technologies valuable to the instrumentation. Performs other functions as required to support business needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or field related to the work performed and at least six (6) years of related experience, or a master's degree in a field related to the work performed and at least four (4) years of related experience.
• Experience with engineering and/or scientific equipment ordinarily used in a lab setting on mechanical, optical, and electronic assemblies used in research.
• Experience and knowledge of engineering and scientific methods in instrumentation-based research, design, assembly, and commissioning of precision instrumentation.
• Experience using or designing specialized research equipment as required by the research project.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective organizational skills.
• Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and as an integral project team member.
• Demonstrable good judgment.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering with six years’ work experience in a related field, or bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with eight years of experience in a related field.
• Additional experience handling, assembling, and troubleshooting astronomical instrumentation in a lab setting and at telescopes.
• Demonstrable learning of new disciplines outside of those learned during formal education.
• Familiarity with the electronic systems used in instrumentation motion control.
• Experience assembling and handling precision optical components.
• Experience with vacuum and cryogenic systems.
• Project management training and/or experience.

Salary Range

$85,000 + depending on qualifications and experience

Working Conditions

• May work in all weather conditions
• Use of manual dexterity
• Climbing of stairs and ladders
• May include free climbing on/around heavy equipment
• May include working in/from man-lifts and scissor lifts
• Heavy lifting and moving (must be able to lift 35lbs)
• Working with hazardous chemicals, cryogenic liquids, and chemical fumes
• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards
• Sometimes requires working extended hours in inclement weather with hazardous equipment or materials
• Working at a computer, repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of approved safety equipment is required.  May be required to undergo respirator fit testing.
• Occasional work at the McDonald Observatory in West Texas for up to two weeks at a time, working days and/or nights in support of instrument deployment and maintenance
• McDonald Observatory is located approximately 6800 feet above sea level.  Environmental conditions can be unpredictable, and temperatures can range from -10˚F and +85˚F.  Inclement winter weather can be expected which requires comfortable driving in wintry conditions on mountain grad

Work Shift

• Generally, M-F, 8 am – 5 pm
• Occasional travel required to McDonald Observatory, 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles away from the UT Austin campus)

Required Materials

• Letter of Interest
• Resume/CV
• Three (3) letters from appropriate professional references that make the case that the nominee has an established record of independent research.

Additional information and to apply: Mechanical Engineering.

General Notes

This position is at McDonald Observatory, 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from The University of Texas at Austin campus). Residence in the Observatory's residential community may be available but not required. The position may be subject to “call-back” as an essential emergency or critical response employee. Must be eligible to work in the US full-time for any employer without sponsorship.

This position is a research support staff role that contributes to the performance and science operations on fielded instrumentation systems, both newly introduced during commissioning activities, as well as existing/established research systems. This support requires evaluating the science needs, expected outcomes, and operating envelope for the system as a whole and quickly devising field-expedient changes to complex systems - these must maintain the integrity of the underlying science needs and be implementable in the field to avoid operational interruptions in research activities.

Purpose

To lead the research and development of electronics and related infrastructure systems, with wide latitude for independent judgment, and to coordinate electronics needs with the Observing Support team and with Principal Investigators (PIs).

Responsibilities

• Performs preventive maintenance and routine repairs on research equipment. Installs new or improved electronic instruments. Performs quality checks on telescope systems and research instruments to ensure effective operation for researchers.
• Designs replacement and upgraded electronics for telescope operations, research instruments, and other infrastructure systems. Collaborates with PIs to understand appropriate improvements to scientific instruments.
• Creates and maintains documentation for electronic systems applicable to the telescopes and research instrumentation.
• Coordinates the efforts of the electronics team to ensure the effective operation of telescope systems and research equipment. Coordinates work with other McDonald Observatory teams. Plans and schedules team assignments.
• Evaluate science needs, in some cases during commissioning periods, and conduct research and development to support new systems consistent with science goals.
• Supports science operations in the field, evaluating required changes to new and existing research instruments, designing field-expedient solutions in collaboration with PIs, and implementing them promptly to avoid operational interruptions.
• Troubleshoots electronics systems to determine the cause of deficient operation or failure. Devises new approaches to problems with electronic systems. Assumes responsibility for acceptance or rejection of new systems.
• Maintains a current knowledge of electronic systems. Develops new skills. Participates in training. Assists in the training of the electronics team members.
• Performs other related functions as assigned to meet business needs, including configuration change support, event support, etc.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and four years of related experience or Master's degree and two years of related experience. Thorough knowledge of special equipment used in the field of research. Experience maintaining, repairing, and troubleshooting scientific instruments and/or electronic systems in an astronomical research or optical lab environment. Hands-on experience with machine tools and workshop equipment. Ability to work with precision measuring tools. Good mechanical aptitude. Ability to organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines and expectations. Experience with Microsoft Office products. Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to work hard. Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision. Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and in a professional manner. Demonstrated ability to develop and document procedures, update the information to a database, and create reports of equipment status. Safety conscious. Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with optics and/or instrumentation. Experience working with precision mechanical systems requiring fine motor coordination and a light touch. Experience in a scientific research field with both mechanical and electrical systems. Technical training in mechanical and/or electrical disciplines. Experience in maintaining fine mechanical equipment. Experience working on chillers, HVAC, cooling systems, air compressors, and electromechanical systems. Machining skills. Electrical skills. Basic computer-aided design (CAD) skills. Open to innovative procedures.

Driving Required

This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three-year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident.

Salary Range

$66,000 + depending on qualifications and experience

Working Conditions

• Practice safe working habits.
• May work in all weather conditions and extreme temperatures.
• May work around chemicals, chemical fumes, and cryogenic liquids.
• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards.
• May work around standard office conditions and repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
• Use of manual, mechanical hand-tool, and fine motor dexterity.
• Climbing stairs and ladders, and working at heights up to 100 feet in varied climate conditions with appropriate personal protection equipment, using a man lift or ladder; free climbing on/around heavy equipment.
• Lifting, moving, and pushing heavy equipment.
• Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety harnesses, hard hats, breathing respirators, and ear and eye protection, may require respirator fit testing.
• Staff living on-site in the residential community are considered essential employees, as determined by the Observatory Superintendent, and will be required to serve on the Observatory Emergency Response team.
• McDonald Observatory is approximately 6900 ft. above sea level; environmental conditions can be unpredictable; temperatures can range from -10˚F to +95˚F; inclement winter weather can be expected, which requires comfort driving in wintry conditions on mountain grades.

Work Shift

• Generally, M-F, 8 am – 5 pm.
• May need to work outside of normal working hours as required.

Required Materials

• Letter of Interest
• Resume/CV
• Three (3) letters from appropriate professional references which make the case that the nominee has an established record of independent research.

Additional information and to apply: Electronics Engineer, Mt. Locke

General Notes

This position is for a mechanical engineer at the McDonald Observatory, Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), which operates on a 24/7 schedule. The Observatory is a major astronomical research observatory located 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from the UT Austin campus).

The engineering work from this position will apply to a wide range of disciplines, including mechanical, optical, electronic, vacuum, cryogenic, and software engineering, used together to build state-of-the-art research instrumentation for astronomy. The research with those instruments includes the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, understanding how the elements and their various isotopes were formed, understanding how the successive generations of stars have changed the chemical composition of the universe, understanding the mechanisms that alter the galaxies with time, and understanding the history of the expansion of the universe itself.

Purpose

This position leads a small team of technicians and performs mechanical engineering maintenance, design, and performance improvements on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope’s (HET) equipment and facility infrastructure. This position reports to the HET Facility Manager at McDonald Observatory.

Responsibilities

• Engineering.  Designs, models, analyzes, troubleshoots, fabricates, assembles, tests, and supports new and existing mechanical equipment on the telescope and facility infrastructure.
• Operations and Supervision. Leads a small team of technicians in a technical leadership and mentoring role, emphasizing operating and maintaining the HET telescope.
• Preventative Maintenance. Coordinate the effort to develop, implement and conduct a professional preventive maintenance program on HET systems.
• Project Management. Works with the Facility Manager and other HET group managers to establish priorities and schedules for the maintenance and repair of existing equipment and the design, upgrade, and deployment of existing and new systems.
• Team Coordination and Backup. Coordinates the mechanical engineering efforts internal to the HET and with Austin staff and other staff on the Observatory site. Periodically performs operations engineering and day engineering duties.
• Respond to Problems. Respond to problems on the telescope during the daytime, after hours, and over weekends.
• Planning Meetings. Attend and constructively participate in the morning planning meetings, weekly HET staff meetings, weekly mechanical team meetings, periodic technical and/or design review meetings, and other meetings as needed for an efficient and productive operation.
• Other Duties. Performs other duties as required to meet the business needs. Serves as an essential employee, and acts as a member of the McDonald Observatory’s Emergency Response Team (ERT), responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other emergencies that threaten or interfere with the facility’s normal operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or field related to the work to be performed and at least six (6) years of related experience, or a master’s degree in a field related to the work to be performed and at least four (4) years of related experience.
• Experience with engineering and/or scientific equipment ordinarily used in a lab setting on mechanical, optical, and electronic assemblies used in research.
• Experience and knowledge of engineering and scientific methods in instrumentation-based research, design, assembly, and commissioning of precision instrumentation.
• Experience using or designing specialized research equipment as required by the research project.
• Proficient in using 3D CAD software, Solid Works (preferred), or Inventor. Proficiency with AutoCAD will be considered.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective organizational skills.
• Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and as an integral project team member.
• Demonstrable good judgment.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with six years’ work experience in a related field, or bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with eight years of experience in a related field.
• Additional experience handling, assembling, and troubleshooting astronomical instrumentation in a lab setting and at telescopes.
• Expert (power user) in 3D CAD software, Solid Works (preferred) and/or Inventor.
• Knowledgeable and experienced in opto-mechanical design.
• Experience assembling and handling precision optical components.
• Demonstrate the ability to learn new disciplines outside of those learned during formal education.
• Familiarity with the electronic systems used in instrumentation and motion control systems.
• Experience with vacuum and cryogenic systems.
• Project management training and/or experience.

Salary Range

$85,000 + depending on qualifications and experience

Working Conditions

• Since we are a 24/7 operation, this position, on occasion, is expected to respond to problems and business needs relating to the telescope outside of regular work hours (nights, weekends, and holidays) to serve the needs of the Observatory and, specifically, the HET.
• Residence in the Observatory’s residential community may be available and required.
• The position may be subject to “call-back” as an essential emergency or critical response employee.
• Must be eligible to work in the US full-time for any employer without sponsorship.
• Working at a computer, including repetitive keyboard use at a workstation.
• Use of manual dexterity.
• Climbing of stairs and ladders up to 90 ft.
• Working at height above ground using man lifts to 150 ft.
• Free climbing on and around heavy equipment at and above ground level.
• Heavy lifting and moving (must be able to lift 35 lbs.).
• Working in potentially hazardous chemicals, cryogenic liquids, and chemical fumes environments.
• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards.
• May require working extended hours in inclement weather with hazardous equipment or materials.
• Use of approved safety equipment is required, including climbing safety equipment. May be required to undergo respirator fit testing and periodic training for the use of safety equipment.
• Acts as a senior member of the Observatory’s Emergency Response Team that responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other emergencies threatening or interfering with the facility’s normal operations. Handles emergencies calmly and quickly.
• Staff on-site in the residential community may serve as essential employees as determined by your manager.
• McDonald Observatory is located approximately 6800 feet above sea level. Environmental conditions can be unpredictable, and temperatures can range from -10˚F and +95˚F. Inclement winter weather can be expected, which requires being comfortable driving in wintry conditions on mountain grades.

Work Shift

• Generally, M-F, 8 am – 5 pm. Flexibility is essential, given that we operate 24/7/365.
• Ability to travel to the University of Texas at Austin, the Observatory’s headquarters, as required for reviews or work forums.
• You are required to respond to problems outside regular business hours.

Required Materials

• Letter of interest
• Resume/CV
• Three work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Additional information and to apply: HET Mechanical Engineer, McDonald Observatory.