The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) was established in February 1996 as a private non-profit foundation (NPO) to promote R&D in the space field in Catalonia. The IEEC is a research institute that studies all areas of knowledge and technologies applied to the space sector and space sciences, including astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, Earth observation, navigation and space engineering. Its mission is to push the frontiers of space research from the scientific and technological fields for the maximum benefit of society. It should also be noted that the Foundation is attached to the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) and forms part of its institutional public sector due to the fact that the Generalitat has a majority involvement in the entity.

Introduction:

The purpose of this call is the selection process of a candidate to occupy a job position as a junior engineer assigned to the PHOTSAT project of the Institut d'Estudis Spacials de Catalunya.

One of these nanosatellite missions is PhotSat, a 12U CubeSat that will scan the sky and extract photometry (measurement of photons) of bright stars. With two small telescopes developed at the IEEC, PhotSat will be able to observe stars in visible light and also in ultraviolet light, while detecting and warning of possible supernovas. With agile development, the satellite is planned to be launched by the end of 2025.

The IEEC seeks to hire a person to contribute to the design and implementation of a comprehensive system for the management, monitoring, storage, processing, and publication of photometric data received from PhotSat. This also includes the development of the necessary framework for the integration and publication of astrophysical alerts generated both on board (rapid) and on ground (slower) using the algorithms developed by scientific teams from the IEEC and the ICCUB. On-board alerts will be disseminated to other observatories via satellite constellations, and those detected on the ground will be disseminated through public reporting to online alert databases for later monitoring from ground-based observatories. The hired person will also contribute to creating a general data management system on the ground for PhotSat data, including a database with a simple user interface for the scientific and technical team of PhotSat. The workplace will be at the ICCUB (Barcelona).

Job description:

• Position: 1 Engineer for data processing of the PhotSat mission
• Professional group: Group III 
• Professional category: Junior Engineer 
• Working hours:  37,5 hours/week 
• Working location: ICCUB (Institut de Ciències del Cosmos - University of Barcelona). Carrer de Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona
• Estimated duration conditioned to the initial funding: until 30th September 2025

Functions:

The selected person will be in charge of the following functions:

• Design and implementation of the PhotSat raw data model and the necessary software infrastructure to manage the on-ground data archive (storage system, interface and access protocols).
• Selection and deployment of the data transport technology for raw data from the ground station (or operations center) to the data file, in case it is not already provided by the main constructor or service provider.
• Design and implementation of tools ​​to access and save both PhotSat's own data and the products obtained from its processing and alerts.
• Data backup and redundancy system.
• Design and implementation of basic web tools for monitoring data traffic (accesses and transfers) and the state of the data archive (content statistics, system technical notices, etc.), as well as the database of scientific alerts generated.
• Contribute to the creation of simulated PhotSat data to test scientific algorithms for the detection of fast and slow transient sources.
• Integration of a parameterizable system for the detection of rapid alerts (10-20 min time scale) on board PhotSat, based on an implementation developed by experts from ICCUB and IEEC.
• Implementation of a system for sending rapid alerts (generated on board) for dissemination to ground-based observatories, through satellite constellations, and parametrizable to adjust its performance in orbit.
• Integration of a system for the detection of scientific alerts generated on the ground, using data received from PhotSat and algorithms developed by ICCUB and IEEC experts. The generated alerts will be distributed to ground-based observatories, similar to rapid alerts, for further follow-up.
• Implementation of a multi-level testing program for the developed infrastructure and system and its integration with other PhotSat software components.
• Preparation of the necessary documentation (reports, articles, etc.) to present the results of the research/development.

Participation requirements and selection criteria:

The following criteria will be assessed during the selection process:

• Education: Bachelor´s degree in Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, Electronic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• Fluent in English: Fluent spoken and written English.

The following aspects will be considered desirable merits:

• Solid knowledge of object-oriented programming, software engineering, and design and optimization of databases.
• Previous knowledge related to astronomy and astrophysics, reduction of astronomical observations and integration in embedded architectures.
• High motivation to work in pioneering engineering.
• It will be valued to be in possession of or currently pursuing a master's degree in Computer Engineering, Physical Engineering, Telecommunications, Aerospace Engineering, Astrophysics, or a related field.
• Experience in C++ and Python programming languages.
• Experience in Linux Server and Linux Raspberry Pi/Arduino environments.
• Ability to work independently and in a multidisciplinary team. Proactivity and initiative.
• Written and verbal communication skills. Experience in the preparation of technical and scientific documentation will be valued.

When evaluating the candidate's experience, the following will also be considered: the role or position held, the budget of the projects, the degree of complexity of the work carried out and the consortia involved. Likewise, the link with the space sector and the level of internationalization will be taken into account.

Contact and deadline:

Interested persons who meet the established requirements can send the personal curriculum in PDF format, signed as certification, with a brief description of the tasks carried out in the positions previously occupied, to the email address: RecursosHumans@ieec.cat indicating the reference "Surnames and Name – OF_IEEC_133_2023" in the subject line of the email.

The reception of applications ends on

19/12/2023

Applications that do not meet the requirements included in the cases provided for, or those which are not processed in accordance with the established procedure will not be considered.

Selection procedure:

Initially, a verification of the requirements of participation and study of the curriculum will be carried out to assess aspects related to the job to be covered. Next, a first selection of candidates will be made based on the curriculum contributed.

The shortlisted candidates will be called to a personal interview and/or a test to expand the detailed information in the curriculum and assessed aspects related to professional competences.

Interested persons must have the originals of the certificates accrediting the training and work experience mentioned in the curriculum and must submit them if required.