GMTNIRS Systems Engineer, McDonald Observatory

University of Texas at Austin

7d • $55,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas (UT) McDonald Observatory, a major astronomical research observatory, seeks highly qualified and strongly motivated applicants for the position of an Instrumentation Systems Engineer to complement an active group working on the Giant Magellan Telescope Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GMTNIRS), a high-resolution infrared spectrograph designed as a first-light instrument on the Giant Magellan Telescope behind the Adaptive Optics system. The primary science goals for GMTNIRS are the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres and stellar astrophysics at all evolutionary stages. The applicant would join the project in the final design phase, with a Final Design Review planned for Spring 2027. GMTNIRS is a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Carnegie Institute for Science, and the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The position is initially available for a fixed term of one year. Extension beyond one year will depend on funding, performance, and project needs. Must be able to work in the US without employer sponsorship. This position is at the University of Texas at Austin campus. It may require occasional travel to collaborator institutions. The University of Texas at Austin provides an outstanding benefits package to staff, including: Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%) Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan) Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b) Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses For more details, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards Purpose As the GMTNIRS system engineer, you work with Instrument Scientist, Dr. Greg Mace, to develop and refine the overall instrument-level assembly, integration, and verification plans.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Astronomy, or Engineering and/or four years industry experience with systems engineering.
• Experience developing engineering budgets (mass, electrical, effort) and good documentation skills are needed for this role.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and work collaboratively.
• Eager to work as an integral project team member.
• Demonstrable good judgment.
• Knowledge of astronomy research and observatory operational best practices is not required.
• Competencies for this role include accuracy and attention to detail, decision-making and critical thinking, effective communications, initiative, interpersonal relationships, problem-solving, and service excellence.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree or higher in Physics, Astronomy, or Engineering.
• Extensive experience systems engineer documentation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine overall instrumentation-level assembly, integration, and verification plans in collaboration with instrument scientist.
• Responsible for enabling systems engineering ‘best practice’ in the document and requirements management systems. Example documents for development include mass and electrical budgets and tracking, collaborating with technical staff to complete design trade studies, subsystem requirements documentation and compliance tracking, interface control documentation, risk mitigation and hazards analysis.
• Collaborate with technical staff to complete design trade studies.
• Provide the structure and effort for documentation needs. Expertise on astronomy instrumentation will be provided by other team members.
• May work with other technical staff to document their subsystems and supporting the GMTNIRS Project Manager on cost estimation, schedules, and work/product breakdown documentation.
• Other duties as required related to team project.

Benefits

• Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%)
• Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)
• Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees