7 jobs found in Charlottesville

The FPGA System Architect at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory will lead architecture and implementation of advanced FPGA-based signal processing and control systems for world-class radio telescopes. Working within the Engineering & Design department in a collaborative, research-focused environment, you will define system architectures, develop FPGA designs, and integrate high-speed DSP pipelines that enable cutting-edge astronomy and astrophysics. This role partners closely with scientists and engineers worldwide, offers access to state-of-the-art technology, and supports continuous learning and professional growth.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) seeks a Software Engineer Group Lead to guide development of common domain software supporting world-class radio telescopes. In this role, you will lead a small team of engineers designing, implementing, and maintaining high-reliability, scalable software for astronomical data processing and observatory operations. You will collaborate closely with scientists, system engineers, and IT staff, set technical direction, review code, and ensure best practices in software architecture, testing, and deployment. This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to groundbreaking astronomical research in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory seeks a Head of Software Engineering to lead the teams building and operating the software powering world-class radio telescopes. In this role, you will define technical strategy and architecture for observatory control systems, data pipelines, and scientific platforms used by astronomers worldwide. You will manage and mentor a diverse engineering organization, champion modern DevOps and quality practices, and collaborate closely with scientists, data experts, and operations. This position offers the opportunity to shape mission-critical systems in a collaborative, research-driven, and innovation-focused environment supporting groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory seeks a Systems Engineer II-III to design, implement, and support reliable computing and network systems for world-class radio telescopes. In this role, you will architect, deploy, and maintain Linux-based servers, storage, and networking that underpin astronomical data acquisition, processing, and scientific computing. You will collaborate closely with scientists and engineers to ensure system performance, security, and availability, automate infrastructure, document designs, and contribute to continuous improvement in a highly collaborative, research-focused environment.

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Title: Microassembly Technician - Technical Specialist Location: NRAO Central Development Lab, 1180 Boxwood Estate Rd, CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, United States of America Requisition Number: 228 Job Family: Technical Specialist Pay Type: Hourly Required Education: NET Position Description: Position Summary The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a prestigious research and development organization that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) is a nonprofit organization that manages and operates the NRAO under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Observatory is a hub for technological and scientific collaboration, operating state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. The Observatory has been instrumental in the study of black holes, galaxies, and the early universe. At NRAO, we are recruiting a full-time, microassembly technician to join the Integrated Receiver Development (IRD) group at the Central Development Laboratory (CDL) in Charlottesville, VA. The IRD group is involved in the design and development of low-noise receivers, components, and novel concepts for radio astronomy instrumentation in the centimeter-wave, millimeter-wave, and submillimeter-wave frequency ranges, and is currently designing integrated receiver modules for the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). This position requires experience working under a microscope, handling and mounting bare semiconductor die, wire-bonding, soldering, and surface-mount circuit-board assembly. The position will also require probing custom chips and substrates using a wafer probe station, operating and maintaining a cryogenic refrigeration and measurement system, and testing microwave components using vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, and power meters. The location for this position will be based at the Central Development Laboratory located in Charlottesville, Virginia. What You Will be Doing: Assemble multichip integrated receiver modules: Obtain quotes and order parts for integrated receiver modules from an engineer-provided design. This may include compiling a Bill-of-Materials (BOM) and exporting manufacturing files (e.g. Gerber, DXF, GDS) from given design models and layouts. Organize and maintain stock of commonly used components as well as project-specific custom parts. Interface with the in-house machine shop and chemistry lab for the fabrication of custom housings, brackets, and chassis. Populate circuit boards with surface-mount components as small as 0402 in size. Construct multichip modules from engineering design drawings, including picking chips from diced wafers with tweezers, attaching bare die using silver epoxy, wire-bonding, and micro-soldering, as-needed. Test multichip integrated receiver modules: Use a wafer probe station to characterize custom chips and substrates. Use commercial VNAs, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, power meters, and other microwave test equipment characterize components, both on-wafer and in-package, both at room temperature and in a cryogenic environment. Construct custom test cable harnesses, fixtures, and mounting brackets as-needed. Record and analyze test Maintain detailed records of test results, assembly procedures, and performance characteristics. Document measurement conditions, test setups, and any observed anomalies. Monitor, track, and maintain laboratory inventory: Monitor inventory levels of critical lab supplies, including electronic components, adhesives, wire bonding materials, and test equipment accessories. Collaborate with engineers to refine assembly and testing procedures: Collaborate with engineers, scientists, and other technical personnel to refine assembly and test procedures. Provide feedback to engineers to improve custom designs, especially as it concerns manufacturability and measurement procedures. Work Environment Work is mission driven, team oriented and typically performed in a laboratory within a research and development environment. Who You Are: Education You have an associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience. While not required, a bachelor's degree in a related field is preferred. Experience You have 10 years of experience in electrical/electronic technology, or a closely related field. While not required, you may have: Professional experience fabricating radio frequency or microwave components or systems. Experience with common RF and microwave measurement equipment. Experience assembling microwave or millimeter-wave components. Skills and Competencies Must be a methodical, motivated team player comfortable in an R&D environment. Must be able to sit or stand at a bench for sustained periods. High level of competency in Microsoft software products to manage and graph measurement results as well as other web-based systems. Attention to detail is critical Highly organized Excellent communication skills to keep records and documentation Physical Requirements The candidate must be able to sit or stand at a bench for sustained periods. Visual acuity and manual dexterity are required, and this position requires lifting and carrying 50 pounds. Additional Requirement Observatory employees must be authorized to work in the United States. The Observatory presently cannot sponsor H-1B Visas for this position. Total Rewards: Compensation The starting salary/hourly rate of this position is between $33.66-$43.62 per hour. 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: Associated Universities, Inc (AUI) offers a comprehensive benefits package addressing the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements. AUI provides: Excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days) 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. Click Total Rewards for more information. Application Instructions: Select the "Apply" button above. Please be prepared to upload your current CV/Resume and a cover letter describing interest and suitability for the position . Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit . If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to . PM20 Compensation details: 33.66-43.62 Hourly Wage PIfeded427e2b7-2281

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Title: Software Engineer Group Lead, Common Domain Software Location: 800 Bradbury Dr SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA• 155 Observatory Rd, Green Bank, WV 24944, USA• 1011 Lopezville Rd, Socorro, NM 87801, USA• NRAO Headquarters, 520 Edgemont Rd, CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, United States of America Requisition Number: 221 Job Family: Software Engineer Pay Type: Salary Required Education: ENG Position Description: Position Summary At NRAO, we are recruiting a full-time Software Engineering Group Lead to provide technical leadership, planning, and management for software products and shared software infrastructure that support radio astronomy data acquisition, data movement, processing, and analysis. The group, known as the Common Domain Software Group, will be responsible for developing and maintaining reusable software capabilities, common services, integration patterns, and infrastructure components that can be applied across multiple NRAO systems and projects. The Software Engineering Group Lead will guide short- and long-term planning, coordinate development activities, and help establish engineering practices that improve interoperability, reliability, maintainability, and operational effectiveness. The role includes leading work related to shared software models, system integration, messaging and communication mechanisms, data transport, workflow support, data repositories, service interfaces, deployment approaches, and other software infrastructure needed to support distributed scientific computing environments. The Common Domain Software Group is also responsible for frontline support of existing telescope operations and for the timely and appropriate resolution of real time issues that impede scientific operations at all NRAO sites. In support of operational responsibilities, this group will work to enhance diagnostic and monitoring tools and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to maintain operational performance. The combination of operations and common software under a single Common Domain Software Group Lead allows for the development of foundational software that is efficient and reliable in operations. This position requires close collaboration with scientists, software engineers, systems engineers, operations staff, and project stakeholders to ensure that common software infrastructure is aligned with current operational needs and future observatory capabilities. The group will help identify opportunities to standardize reusable components, reduce duplication, improve system consistency, and support the evolution of NRAO software systems over time. This position can be based at any of our NRAO locations, including Albuquerque, NM, Socorro, NM, Charlottesville, VA, or Green Bank, WV. For well-qualified candidates, a remote work arrangement may be considered. What you will be doing: As the Common Domain Software Engineer Group Lead, you will be responsible for the overall personnel and technical management of software teams responsible for 1) standardized data repositories, 2) system communications, 3) data transport, and 4) frontline 24x7 operational support and integration. You will also be responsible for regular reporting on management status and compliance with deadlines to senior management at NRAO and other participating organizations, and you may be asked to present that status to other stakeholders or advisory bodies in formal or informal reviews. Personnel management involves building and maintaining a culture of trust, mutual collaboration, accountability, and excellence within the Common Domain Software group and with its stakeholders. This includes: Seeking to increase the technical diversity and expertise of the group through robust recruiting and onboarding practices. Professional development for existing staff and succession planning. Ensuring a professional working environment and efficient work processes are maintained through direct line management of staff. Reviewing timesheets and periodic performance reviews, including interacting with the Human Resources and Business departments of the Observatory when necessary. Proactive compliance with NRAO and government safety policies and procedures in own work area is expected. With guidance from the Observatory Human Resource Department, coordinating and advising on personnel matters, ensuring compliance with applicable policies such as affirmative action. Advising staff on planning, technical, and operational matters, instructs and orienting new employees as necessary. Interpreting, implementing, developing and/or recommending changes to rules, regulations, policies and procedures set forth by the Observatory. Programmatic management involves oversight of all aspects of the lifecycle of software for which the group is responsible, including: Gathering of requirements, planning development, assigning tasks, tracking progress, coordinating integration, testing, acceptance, and release while fulfilling high standards of quality. Managing stakeholder relationships, establishing priorities based on stakeholder needs, and maintaining effective communications. Ensuring the delivery of high-quality software products by the team that meets stakeholder expectations and schedules. Technical management involves interacting directly with all group members: Developing the software infrastructure. Guiding the integration of software components. Maintaining a consistent view and quality of implementation across all of the software. Approving technical direction within the team. Interacting with a team of expert developers and improving on present practices whenever and wherever appropriate. Work Environment Work is typically performed in a research and development office environment. Occasional travel (domestic and international) may be required Who You Are: Education A Bachelor's degree in computer science, physics, astronomy, or related field. Advanced degree preferred. Experience You have at least seven years of experience in software development, with at least three or more years of experience managing a software team of three or more people. Equivalent relevant experience will be considered. You must have prior experience in computing data transport and systems communications design and concepts. Skills and Competencies Strong interpersonal and group communications skills, oral and written. Familiarity with a wide variety of technologies, such as Java, C, C++, Python, testing frameworks, threading, parallelization. Ability to translate science requirements into software requirements. Understanding of software architecture and the implications it has for development. Must possess strong leadership and delegation capabilities. Ability to maintain and develop productive collaborations across organizations, anticipate and mitigate political and technical issues. Ability to establish firm, professional, and respectful interactions with staff and stakeholders. Demonstrated strong initiative in refining and clarifying requirements, defining and implementing QA processes, plan definition and monitoring, defining technical direction, and facilitating alignment. Ability to learn new areas and apply learning. Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities. Familiarity with project management concepts and techniques. Competency Summary As a Software Engineer Group Lead, you are expected to have demonstrated experience leading software development groups, preferably within the domain of astronomy. To be successful, you shall also have experience in leading a distributed team of developers and be familiar with management, planning, and reporting aspects. You should be prepared to deal with already ongoing activities, while also having the ability to formulate a long-term direction. You should have experience balancing the maintenance, improvement, and enhancement of operational software. Planning skills and appropriate management of a team of expert developers and scientists are essential. Competency and experience dealing with the development process from requirements gathering, to development, testing and the formalism needed to achieve an orderly process is also expected. You must be able to build strong and productive relationships with stakeholders who have complex and sometimes conflicting requirements, such as scientists, development partners, and operations organizations. Strong decision-making, consensus building, and communication skills are essential. Additional Requirement Observatory employees must be authorized to work in the United States. Total Rewards: Compensation The starting salary rate of this position is between $123,000-$154,000 per year. 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: Associated Universities, Inc (AUI) offers a comprehensive benefits package addressing the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements. AUI provides: . click apply for full job details

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Title: Systems Engineer II-III Location: NRAO Headquarters, 520 Edgemont Rd, CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, United States of America Requisition Number: 231 Job Family: Systems Engineer Pay Type: Salary Required Education: PPM Position Description: Position Summary The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is an exciting and prestigious research facility 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 famous Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). These telescopes are among the most advanced in the world, allowing astronomers to explore the universe in unprecedented detail. The Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) is a transformative astronomical observatory designed to deliver science-ready data products to a broad community of users. The Computing and Software System (CSS) is the backbone of this vision, encompassing all the software and hardware required to control the telescope, manage the flow of data, execute processing pipelines, and provide user-facing services. The CSS is decomposed into several major systems, each with a distinct role in the data lifecycle, from observation planning to final data analysis. The ngVLA project is seeking a highly skilled and experienced system engineer with a software background. The system engineer will collaborate with System Architects and Engineers with domain expertise (subject matter experts) to formalize, capture and manage the evolving sub-system requirements, computing and software sub-system architecture, and sub-system designs. This position extends and implements the project-level systems engineering management plan and software development plan, ensuring that a rigorous design process is followed and deliverables meet project quality standards. This position will be located at the NRAO facility in Charlottesville (VA). What You Will be Doing Successfully lead all systems engineering tasks for CSS. Ensure requirements traceability and process alignment between CSS and the ngVLA project, including tracking the traceability of requirements down to CSS software subsystems within the ngVLA Cameo model. Document requirements, elaborate verification and validation (V&V) plans, update CSS design and system architecture, and create other technical documents needed for gate reviews. Define and maintain internal and external Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for CSS software subsystems within the ngVLA Cameo model. Model system and software subsystem behavior - including activity diagrams and state/mode diagrams - to document functional flows and control logic Support the execution of verification and validation (V&V) activities for CSS software subsystems, working with development teams to confirm requirements are met. Manage the development of all Systems Engineering plans and documentation for CSS needed for successful system design reviews. Utilize Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) techniques - specifically Cameo Systems Modeler, SysML, and MagicDraw - to update and extend the ngVLA Cameo model, document workflows and system models, and maintain interface specifications. Prepare technical documentation and presentations for CSS gate reviews and assist in managing subsystem design reviews Participate in the systems engineering management processes, including configuration management, baselining, change management and document management processes Work Environment The successful candidate will join a team of professionals engaged in research and development in the fields of science, engineering, software development, and education. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment. Who You Are: You have a bachelor's degree in systems engineering, physical science, computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or related field or significant work experience in a similar environment. At least five years working as a Systems Engineer in integrated project teams, preferably in scientific R&D environments. Incose or similar certification beneficial. Demonstrated experience with core systems engineering principles, including requirements capture, verification and validation plans, full project lifecycle planning. Experience of working across life cycle phases including: preliminary design, detail design, design qualification, production, construction or fabrication, and transition to operations Exposure to at least two of the following technology domains is preferred: electromagnetic, RF, digital signal processing, mechanical, software engineering, and civil engineering Experience with model-based systems engineering methodologies and tools Excellent verbal and written communication, and scheduling and running effective meetings with geographically dispersed teams. Proactive and independent work ethic Additional Requirement Observatory employees must be authorized to work in the United States. The Observatory presently cannot sponsor H-1B Visas for this position. Total Rewards: Compensation The starting salary of this position is between $87,390-$120,837. 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: Associated Universities, Inc (AUI) offers a comprehensive benefits package addressing the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements. AUI provides: Excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days) 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. Click Total Rewards for more information. Application Instructions: Select the "Apply Now" button. Please be prepared to upload your current CV/Resume and a cover letter describing interest and suitability for the position. Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit . If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to . PM20 Compensation details: 37 Yearly Salary PI335259c4f46b-0106