Scientist Open Rank, Assistant Scientist - Scientist (103)

Position Description:

Position Summary

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is an exciting and prestigious research and development organization that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. The Observatory operates a variety of radio telescopes that span the globe, including the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), which includes 10 stations distributed between Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands. These telescopes are among the most advanced in the world, allowing astronomers to explore the universe in unprecedented detail.

The development of an X-Ka wideband receiver spanning 8-38 GHz has begun for the VLBA, enabling new scientific and astrometric capabilities for the instrument. This highly anticipated upgrade will add flexibility and enhance performance by significantly increasing the instantaneous bandwidth available for channelization, enabling access to previously unobservable frequencies, and enabling more efficient and comprehensive spectral studies.

The NRAO is seeking a Scientist (open rank) to be the Project Scientist for the VLBA X-Ka Wideband Receiver Project. The appointee will be expected to spend 75% of their time on functional work as part of the VLBA Development Team, with the remaining 25% available for independent research. The primary responsibility of this position is to help oversee the development and integration of a novel X-Ka receiver system being developed for installation on the VLBA. The appointment will be on the NRAO Scientist track, with starting rank determined by the candidate's experience.

• This position will be a three-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal subject to observatory needs, budget and mutual agreement.

• It will be based in New Mexico at either the Albuquerque or Socorro NRAO office with travel between the two sites as required.

What You Will be Doing

• Technical Development and Integration:
  • Capture and maintain top level project requirements
  • Work with project leadership to develop and maintain project foundation documents
  • Organize testing and commissioning campaigns and preparation of test reports
  • Help coordinate installation while minimizing impacts to the VLBA observing program
  • Prepare material for and participate within project reviews
  • Establish standard observing bands
  • Participate in trade studies
• Community and User Support:
  • Communicate with scientific users and external mission partners
  • Prepare user- and public-facing documentation such as user guides, news articles, press releases
• Scientific Contribution:
  • Contribute to the broader VLBA development portfolio by consulting and collaborating with teams on parallel projects like the Next Generation Radar (ngRadar) and the Next Generation VLA (ngVLA).
  • Maintain awareness of developments at related astronomical facilities
  • Maintain an active independent research program which ideally makes significant use of Observatory facilities

Work Environment

The position is based in an office environment. The successful candidate must be able to work at a computer with detailed and complex textual and numerical information.

Who You Are:

• You have a PhD. In astronomy or related field
• You have at least one year of related experience using radio interferometry for astronomical research

Competency Summary

• Strong communication skills in written and oral English
• Strong inter-personal skills
• Familiarity with Linux / Unix operating systems
• Ability to travel
• Preferred:
  • High-level understanding of the functionality of radio telescopes
  • Experience scheduling VLBI experiments
  • Experience reducing VLBI data
  • Experience within a leadership team of medium to large projects
  • Proficiency in the Python computer language

Total Rewards:

Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) offers a comprehensive total rewards package for this position, subject to eligibility requirements. We are committed to serving our employees and their families with an extensive and competitive compensation and benefits package that supports our employees' overall well-being and career growth.

Compensation

AUI strives to attract and retain dedicated, highly qualified, competent, and motivated employees by offering competitive compensation and recognition for performance.

Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include; education, experience, skills, competencies, other qualifications of the successful candidate, as well as internal equity and labor market conditions.

Benefits

AUI's benefits package addresses the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment. AUI provides excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days and 15 sick days, additional time off for doctor/dentist visits, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave). Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment. AUI's retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant's base pay with no required employee contribution; we also offer an optional supplemental, tax-deferred plan for employee retirement contributions.

Application Instructions:

For consideration, select the "Apply" button. Please prepare a single PDF document consisting of the following items:

• Cover letter stating why you are interested in this position - the letter should describe how the you match the position and qualifications summarized above (no more than 2 pages)
• Curriculum vitae including publications list
• Summary of past research (1 page)
• Future research plan describing specifically synergies with NRAO facilities (2 pages)
• Summary of past technical, observational, and management experience relevant to this position (1 page)
• The names and contact information for three individuals familiar with your technical, scientific, and management abilities. Candidates selected for an interview must be prepared to submit three letters of recommendation. Instructions for letter submission will be provided at the time of request.

The PDF file is to be uploaded with the "Additional Documents" feature at the applicant portal; the file name format should follow this convention: LastName,FirstInitial_PSVLBA.pdf. The deadline for receipt of complete applications is October, 6, 2025. Please direct inquiries to careers@nrao.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit https://public.nrao.edu/careers/. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to resumes@nrao.edu.