Software Engineer - Front-End Web Applications

Associated Universities•SOCORRO, NM

About The Position

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed and operated by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), seeks a mid-level Software Engineer with strong front-end web development skills for its Archive Team within the Science User Applications Group. The team develops and maintains the NRAO Science Archive, a user-facing application used by astronomers worldwide to find and work with radio astronomy data. The role contributes to tools supporting current telescopes and the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). The initial focus is the NRAO Science Archive web application. The engineer will design and deliver key system components, work with teammates and scientific users to understand their needs, maintain and upgrade existing software, and develop new tools supporting the Observatory’s evolving observing methods. The position is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Socorro, New Mexico; Charlottesville, Virginia; or Green Bank, West Virginia. Remote work may be considered for well-qualified candidates. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field; highly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
At least one year of experience developing software applications.
Familiarity with standard software engineering concepts, practices, and procedures through academic training or internship experience.
Professional experience building front-end web applications with Angular and TypeScript.
Strong command of HTML, CSS/Sass, and JavaScript, and experience with Bootstrap or similar frameworks.
Experience with build and bundling tools such as webpack.
Experience consuming and designing RESTful APIs and understanding of HTTP.
Experience with version control, front-end testing methodologies (unit and end-to-end), and CI/CD.
Experience debugging and profiling web applications, including browser performance.
Understanding of object-oriented design and ability to build maintainable, well-structured software.
Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new languages and frameworks.
Strong verbal and written interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability and interest to work as part of a team in a Scrum environment.
Must be authorized to work in the United States; the Observatory cannot sponsor new H-1B visas for this position.

Nice To Haves

At least three years of professional experience developing web applications, with a significant portion focused on the front end.
Advanced degree.
Experience with Python or Java and backend development sufficient to work effectively across the stack.
Familiarity with relational databases and object-relational mapping, such as SQLAlchemy.
Familiarity with messaging systems such as RabbitMQ.
Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker, Docker Compose, Docker Swarm, or Kubernetes.
Experience with accessibility standards and responsive design.
Familiarity with basic astronomical principles and data reduction.

Responsibilities

Modernize and streamline the NRAO Science Archive user interface to improve the user experience.
Build front-end features and components that help scientists find and work with radio astronomy data.
Improve front-end performance, accessibility, and test coverage.
Collaborate with backend developers to design and consume APIs and improve overall system performance.
Design and deliver key system components in collaboration with teammates and scientific users.
Maintain and upgrade existing software.
Develop new tools that support the Observatory’s evolving observing methods.

Benefits

Paid time off, including 13 holidays and annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days.
Medical, dental, and vision plans effective on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements.
Retirement benefit equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant’s base pay, with no required employee contribution.

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