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Pathfinder Science Operations
2015-01-14 13:04:41| Space-careers.com Jobs RSS
A Spanish leader company in Aerospace Engineering and Scientific services with more than 45 years of experience working for NASA and 35 years working for ESA seeks a candidate for a Pathfinder Science Operations. Work Package Overview This work package is intended to provide a number of specialised services to support ESA in System and Software Engineering at ESAC for the Science Archives and Virtual Observatory Team. Within the Science Operations Departments overall responsibility for scientific operations development and execution for astronomy and solar systems missions, the Science Archives and Computer Engineering Unit carries in particular the role of developing science archives, providing easy access to mission data for the scientific community worldwide. The Science Archives Team in ESAC works on various archive projects from old missions ISO, Exosat, Giotto, Smart1, Huygens, Herschel, Planck, Ulysses, current missions XMMNewton, Integral, HST, Mars Express, Venus Express, Rosetta, Soho, Cluster, Gaia and future missions BepiColombo, Euclid, LisaPF, Solar Orbiter, . All mission science archives are available online through GUI rich client or thin client web interfaces and machine scriptable interfaces, with data distribution either online or via asynchronous FTP. Modular and flexible multitier and client server architecture together with the use of an objectoriented approach, Java and XML allows configurability and reuse of software systems across archive projects. Furthermore, ESA, through the ESAC Science Archives Team is playing an important role in the Virtual Observatory VO worldwide to position itself as the main VO actor for all European spacebased astronomical data. A VO is a network of interoperating data archives and software tools that use the connectivity provided by the Internet to form a scientific research environment in which astronomical research programs can be conducted. The vast astronomical archives and databases around the world, together with analysis tools and computational services, are linked together into an integrated facility, not only connecting astronomical data centres and providers but also providing collective capabilities beyond those possible in any individual archive. Within the Science Archives Team, people are usually dedicated to a specific archive project, taking care of design, implementation, operations and evolutive maintenance of the archive software systems data repository and database of products metadata, middletier applications, data distribution and interoperability, user and scriptable interfaces. As the archives software systems share a common technical framework, people assigned to one archive project can move to another archive project, ensuring easier and efficient knowledge transfer. Specific tasks would include system and software engineering tasks such as design, development, testing installation, deployment, operations, maintenance with associated documentation according to the ESA software engineering processes. Furthermore, participation to working groups, workshops, conferences and meetings where science archives and virtual observatory standards and practices are discussed might be required. Specific Service tasks Specific tasks related to Science Archives and VO databases are the following Database design and modelling taking into account the user requirements Database installation, population, monitoring and maintenance Design, develop, deploy and maintain database interfaces for the rest of the archives and VO systems Design, develop, deploy and maintain applications related to the database information user administration tools, statistics tools, etc Configuration control and documentation tasks relevant to the above mentioned tasks. Specific tasks related to Science Archives and VO user interfaces and middletier applications are the following Design, develop, deploy and maintain the Science Archive and VO graphical user interfaces which allow the users to make queries to the database, see the results, select products and request them Design, develop, deploy and maintain the Science Archive and VO middletier applications which provide transparent access for applications User Interface, Statistics Tool, Archive InterOperability systems, and others to the database and to the data products repository Design, develop, deploy and maintain some Science Archive Data Products Visualization tools, which allow to display images, spectra other scientific products and to perform some simple manipulations zooming, selection, some extraction,. Configuration control and documentation tasks relevant to the above mentioned tasks. Specific tasks related to Science Archives and VO data distribution and interoperability applications are the following Design, develop, deploy and maintain Science Archive Data Distribution systems, which allow the users to retrieve archive data products online or via asynchronous FTP Design, develop, deploy and maintain the Science Archive interoperability services, which provide interoperable scriptable interfaces to the science archive databases contents and data products. Design, develop, deploy and maintain the VO compliant interoperability systems, making sure all Science Archives at ESAC are VO accessible Design, develop, deploy and maintain an ESA VO Portal, including a ESA multimissions archive based on VO protocols Design, develop, deploy and maintain VO applications and VO clients Registry, VOSpec, Participating to the VO interoperability working groups where VO standards are discussed and defined. Configuration control and documentation tasks relevant to the above mentioned tasks. Output and Service Performance Monitoring ESA will formally define the service delivery in terms of delivery times, performance targets and similar measurable parameters Key Performance Indicators. This shall be agreed with the service provider and shall be assessed, and modified as needed, during regular progress meetings typically monthly. The service provider shall manage the service provision and provide ESA with the necessary data and corresponding evidence. The service provider shall be measured and assessed on the basis of Periodic software releases, usually annual major releases of the software, interleaved with minor versions when applicable System and Software engineering documentation i.e. Architectural and system design, software test plan and reports when applicable Software architecture, design documentation Software documentation interfacing to user as well as developer Software source and object code Software unit tests with an approved test coverage Definition of Interface Control Documents ICDs and file interchange formats with external coordination units Attendance in approved groups and meetings Participation in software integration, validation, product validation and verification campaigns Progress reports Interactions It is expected that the service support provider will be able to interact freely with any member of the following institutions involved in science operations work All missions science operations centres and science ground segments teams External elements of the science ground segments if required, under the supervision of the ESA internal part of the science ground segments ESAC Computer Support Group Other archives groups within ESA Other archives groups and data centres in Europe and worldwide Working groups in international VO alliances eg IVOA, IPDA, In addition to the above, frequent interactions are expected to take place with the Head of the Science Archives and VO team, as well as with science operations teams within the SREO department. Specific Qualification Requirements Specific knowledge is required in the following areas ESA Ground Segment and Scientific Archives Software engineering Experience in designing multitier architecture application in the context of Scientific Archives and Virtual Observatory Extensive experience in JAVA programming language Experience in Google Web Toolkit Experience in Web technologies http, JSP, web services, Experience in SQL and XML Experience in Graphical User Interfaces application Experience in Data Distribution applications through web services Experience in the Virtual Observatory standards and protocols, working groups, working processes and environment would be an asset Linux and PCWindows environment Experience on ESA software engineering processes and software configuration control tools and some scientific background would be an asset. Positions covered by this work package will require at least a University degree or equivalent in computer science or related fields The selected provider must be willing to render the service in a team environment and to travel. Good interpersonal and communication skills, together with a proactive attitude to problem solving and customer focus are required. The service provider should be comfortable in an international working environment and be fluent in written and spoken English, one of the official language of ESA. Other Information The service is expected to be provided during normal ESA working days and working hours. Some provision should also be made to allow exceptional cases of oncall and or extra time support. APPLICATIONS Interested candidates should send cv and cover letter to seleccionisdefe.es. The job code must included on the subjet.
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