NEO Surveyor Task Lead

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Job Summary

IPAC at Caltech invites applications for a Task Lead of the team that is developing the Survey Data System for NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission. As Task Lead you will work closely with the IPAC/NEOS Science Lead and Lead System Architect in the overall management of the development, test, and operation of the NEO Surveyor Survey Data Systems (NSDS) at IPAC.

IPAC is part of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Division at Caltech. We are a dedicated team of scientists, engineers, and administrative personnel who provide science operations, user support, data and archive services, and scientific vision to maximize discovery with observatories both in space and on the ground. NEO Surveyor is a NASA Planetary Defense mission, scheduled to launch in 2027, that is optimized to detect, track, and characterize solar system small bodies that pose a potential risk to the Earth. NEO Surveyor consists of a passively cooled 50 cm telescope located at Sun-Earth L1 equipped with a wide-field camera that will image the sky simultaneously in two mid-infrared bands. NEO Surveyor will detect approximately 100,000 Main Belt asteroids, NEOs, and comets each day against a background of tens of millions of distant stars and galaxies.

IPAC is building the NSDS that ingests imaging and engineering data from the flight system, processes those data into calibrated image and source detection products, performs automated searches for moving solar system objects, assesses the quality of the survey data, and distributes data products to NASA archives and the user community.

Essential Job Duties

IPAC uses an integrated team approach to its tasks including a leadership model where Science Lead and Task Lead partner in guiding the team to achieve task objectives. As Task Lead you will be responsible for the following:

• Managing the budget, schedule, and staffing for NEOS work at IPAC.
• Planning and tracking NSDS development, testing, and deployment at IPAC
• Reporting project status to IPAC Management and presenting at internal reviews.
• Reporting progress and status for the NSDS development to the NEOS Project Office at JPL and presenting at project reviews.
• Managing external technical interfaces and documents, including those related to contract reporting.
• Participating in external meetings (virtual and in-person) with the NEOS Project Partners, especially the Mission System elements and the Project Science Office.
• Coordinating on a regular basis with the NSDS Science Lead to assess NSDS progress, to confirm alignment with science requirements, to identify challenges and mitigations, and to involve IPAC Management in the discussion as needed.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 12 years of experience, Master's degree with 10 years of experience or PhD with 8 years of experience in astrophysics, engineering or a closely related field.
• Experience leading, coaching, and motivating a technical team.
• Experience using project management tools such as spreadsheets, scheduling, and issue tracking software.
• Demonstrated responsibility for developing and managing budgets, schedules, financial reports, and tracking milestones and receivables / deliverables.
• Ability to work in a team environment, including good written and verbal communication skills.
• Applicants for this position must be a United States (US) person as defined by ITAR regulations - A US person is a citizen of the United States, a lawful permanent resident alien of the US ("Green Card" holder), or an individual granted refugee and asylum status under US law.

Preferred Qualifications

Besides these basic qualifications, there are a set of skills and experience that will enhance your contributions to this role. The following might give you a head start, but even if these don't describe you or your experience, we would still like to hear from you.

• Experience with astronomical or NASA projects.
• Experience with Earned Value Management.
• Experience with software systems or system engineering.

Required Documents

• Cover Letter.
• Resume.
• Names and Contact information of 3 professional references.

Complete applications submitted by February 21, 2025, will receive full consideration, but review of applications will continue until a suitable candidate has been identified.

People choose to work at IPAC for many reasons, and the casual, employee-centric culture often leads to fulfilling, long-term careers and lasting professional relationships. Caltech's benefits program offers a quality, competitive benefits package that is affordable for you and the Institute. The program provides a strong base of coverage for you and your dependents, and the ability to choose the plan and the level of coverage that best meet your needs. We also offer a 403(b) defined contribution plan to eligible staff as well as a Voluntary Retirement Savings (TDA) Plan. IPAC staff have access to the Institute's facilities, including the athletic center, libraries, on-site daycare, professional development and enrichment classes, and Athenaeum club membership.