Phase2 Technology
HET Resident Astronomer, McDonald Observatory
Phase2 Technology, Fort Davis, Texas, United States, 79734
Position Overview
HET Resident Astronomer , McDonald Observatory
The resident astronomer (RA) acts as the on‑site scientific observing specialist for the Hobby‑Eberly Telescope (HET) at McDonald Observatory. The RA employs various facility instruments, conducts personal research, and contributes to the scientific community at McDonald Observatory.
Hiring Department McDonald Observatory
Position Details
Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40
FLSA Status: Exempt
Earliest Start Date: Immediately
Position Duration: Expected to Continue
Location: MCDONALD OBSERVATORY
Position Open To: All Applicants
Eligibility: Must be eligible to work in the U.S. full‑time and permanently for any employer without requiring sponsorship from the employer.
Benefits
Competitive health benefits – employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas – a defined benefit retirement plan with employer‑matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax‑Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible Spending Account options for medical and childcare expenses
Responsibilities
Science Operations.
Lead nightly science operations safely and efficiently from sunset to sunrise, selecting and executing observations of targets from the queue. Evaluate the scientific quality of all observations and communicate effectively with partner scientists.
Night Operations.
Communicate with the telescope operator regarding scientific, facility, and weather constraints. Maintain accurate, professional, and clear night and problem report logs.
Engineering Operations.
Conduct projects to characterize and/or improve night operations. Work with instrument scientists and engineering staff to support, maintain, and document the performance of the HET and its instruments.
Day Operations.
Support night operations by preparing the facility for science operations, including testing and calibrating equipment and software.
Research Environment.
Conduct personal research, prepare and present scientific papers at astronomical meetings, and participate in outreach activities.
Administrative Operations.
Work with other resident astronomers to maintain a fully staffed shift schedule, attend staff meetings, keep accurate timesheets, and complete required training and paperwork.
Required Qualifications
Master's degree in astronomy or physics, or equivalent.
Two years of instrumentation, observatory, or data reduction experience with 1+m class telescopes producing science‑grade astronomical data.
Strong demonstrated commitment to service astronomy.
Research experience in any area of astronomy.
At least two years of experience with a scientific programming language.
Ability to organize and prioritize work and to meet deadlines and expectations.
Self‑driven individual with keen technical ability and a systematic and detail‑oriented approach.
Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and strong team player.
Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to communicate effectively at all scientific, engineering, and administrative levels.
Ability to work efficiently and productively with small teams during time‑critical science operations.
Proficient computer skills.
Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and serve as an integral member of a project team.
Demonstrable good judgment.
Competencies include accuracy and attention to detail, decision making and critical thinking, effective communication, initiative, interpersonal relationships, problem solving, and service excellence.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in astronomy or physics, or equivalent.
Two years of instrumentation, observations, or data reduction experience working on 3+m class telescopes in optical and/or near‑infrared spectroscopy.
Postdoctoral research experience with a strong track record of research outputs and publications.
Capacity to oversee software development related to data acquisition, reduction, and analysis.
Proficiency in using Linux operating systems; experience writing code in Python or C++.
Ability to conduct personal research projects with the HET or other McDonald telescopes.
Strong demonstrated commitment to service astronomy.
Salary Range $68,000 + depending on qualifications and experience
Working Conditions
Position is located at the Hobby‑Eberly Telescope, McDonald Observatory, Ft. Davis, Texas. Relocation may be required.
May work in all weather conditions and extreme temperatures; environmental conditions can be unpredictable; temperatures can range from –10°F to +95°F.
Work around standard office conditions with repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
Use of manual dexterity; climbing of stairs and ladders; free climbing on/around heavy equipment; lifting and moving up to 35 pounds.
May be expected to work at all hours of the day or night, weekends, or holidays (when needed and within limits) to serve the Observatory’s needs.
Staff living on‑site in the residential community serve as essential employees and will participate as members of the McDonald Observatory's Emergency Response Team (ERT), responding to fires, medical emergencies, and other incidents that threaten or interfere with normal operations.
Work Shift
Required to work extended hours (sunset to sunrise) and on‑call.
Night, weekend, and holiday duty required.
Flexibility is essential, given that we operate 24/7/365.
Required Materials
Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.
Letter of interest
Equal Opportunity Employer The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal‑opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Background Checks A criminal history background check will be required for finalists under consideration for this position.
Employment Eligibility Verification If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I‑9 form. Documents must be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.
E‑Verify The University of Texas at Austin uses E‑Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E‑Verify is 854197.
Compliance Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified as a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP‑3031.
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The resident astronomer (RA) acts as the on‑site scientific observing specialist for the Hobby‑Eberly Telescope (HET) at McDonald Observatory. The RA employs various facility instruments, conducts personal research, and contributes to the scientific community at McDonald Observatory.
Hiring Department McDonald Observatory
Position Details
Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40
FLSA Status: Exempt
Earliest Start Date: Immediately
Position Duration: Expected to Continue
Location: MCDONALD OBSERVATORY
Position Open To: All Applicants
Eligibility: Must be eligible to work in the U.S. full‑time and permanently for any employer without requiring sponsorship from the employer.
Benefits
Competitive health benefits – employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas – a defined benefit retirement plan with employer‑matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax‑Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible Spending Account options for medical and childcare expenses
Responsibilities
Science Operations.
Lead nightly science operations safely and efficiently from sunset to sunrise, selecting and executing observations of targets from the queue. Evaluate the scientific quality of all observations and communicate effectively with partner scientists.
Night Operations.
Communicate with the telescope operator regarding scientific, facility, and weather constraints. Maintain accurate, professional, and clear night and problem report logs.
Engineering Operations.
Conduct projects to characterize and/or improve night operations. Work with instrument scientists and engineering staff to support, maintain, and document the performance of the HET and its instruments.
Day Operations.
Support night operations by preparing the facility for science operations, including testing and calibrating equipment and software.
Research Environment.
Conduct personal research, prepare and present scientific papers at astronomical meetings, and participate in outreach activities.
Administrative Operations.
Work with other resident astronomers to maintain a fully staffed shift schedule, attend staff meetings, keep accurate timesheets, and complete required training and paperwork.
Required Qualifications
Master's degree in astronomy or physics, or equivalent.
Two years of instrumentation, observatory, or data reduction experience with 1+m class telescopes producing science‑grade astronomical data.
Strong demonstrated commitment to service astronomy.
Research experience in any area of astronomy.
At least two years of experience with a scientific programming language.
Ability to organize and prioritize work and to meet deadlines and expectations.
Self‑driven individual with keen technical ability and a systematic and detail‑oriented approach.
Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and strong team player.
Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to communicate effectively at all scientific, engineering, and administrative levels.
Ability to work efficiently and productively with small teams during time‑critical science operations.
Proficient computer skills.
Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and serve as an integral member of a project team.
Demonstrable good judgment.
Competencies include accuracy and attention to detail, decision making and critical thinking, effective communication, initiative, interpersonal relationships, problem solving, and service excellence.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in astronomy or physics, or equivalent.
Two years of instrumentation, observations, or data reduction experience working on 3+m class telescopes in optical and/or near‑infrared spectroscopy.
Postdoctoral research experience with a strong track record of research outputs and publications.
Capacity to oversee software development related to data acquisition, reduction, and analysis.
Proficiency in using Linux operating systems; experience writing code in Python or C++.
Ability to conduct personal research projects with the HET or other McDonald telescopes.
Strong demonstrated commitment to service astronomy.
Salary Range $68,000 + depending on qualifications and experience
Working Conditions
Position is located at the Hobby‑Eberly Telescope, McDonald Observatory, Ft. Davis, Texas. Relocation may be required.
May work in all weather conditions and extreme temperatures; environmental conditions can be unpredictable; temperatures can range from –10°F to +95°F.
Work around standard office conditions with repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
Use of manual dexterity; climbing of stairs and ladders; free climbing on/around heavy equipment; lifting and moving up to 35 pounds.
May be expected to work at all hours of the day or night, weekends, or holidays (when needed and within limits) to serve the Observatory’s needs.
Staff living on‑site in the residential community serve as essential employees and will participate as members of the McDonald Observatory's Emergency Response Team (ERT), responding to fires, medical emergencies, and other incidents that threaten or interfere with normal operations.
Work Shift
Required to work extended hours (sunset to sunrise) and on‑call.
Night, weekend, and holiday duty required.
Flexibility is essential, given that we operate 24/7/365.
Required Materials
Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.
Letter of interest
Equal Opportunity Employer The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal‑opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Background Checks A criminal history background check will be required for finalists under consideration for this position.
Employment Eligibility Verification If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I‑9 form. Documents must be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.
E‑Verify The University of Texas at Austin uses E‑Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E‑Verify is 854197.
Compliance Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified as a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP‑3031.
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