Research Assistant, Faculty of Science

Description

The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the Faculty of Science invites applications for a Research Assistant. This Full‑time Fixed Term position is for approximately 36 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The Research Assistant will form part of the Space Remote Sensing group (SRS; formerly known as the Auroral Imaging Group) in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, working on deliverables for grants, contribution agreements and contracts related to space environment research. A key purpose of this position is to design and implement innovative and sustainable data‑driven software solutions to support SRS data, instrumentation, and applications.

SRS activities are broad, and therefore this role is inherently flexible in possible project involvement. This may include contributing to server systems, instrumentation, web applications and visualisations, backend APIs, scientist‑focused data analysis and support libraries, and operational workflow applications. In addition, the Research Assistant will work with the science team to design, execute, and assess the utility of existing scientific user workflows and data analysis support tools provided by SRS.

This role may include in‑scope supervision of other development staff, managing instrument/sub‑system development and/or maintenance projects as well as ensuring that as technologies change, the unit adapts to and learns the new technologies. The incumbent may support other development projects by providing knowledge, skills, and on‑the‑job training to others. This position works closely with industrial and scientific partners in the geospace industry and includes managing standard operating protocol development, and may assist in submitting research grant proposals.

This position may also include remote field work to perform maintenance or repairs on deployed scientific instrumentation, when required.

Peak periods will occur during project deliverable deadlines, instrument delivery and test deployments, and data system migration. Work may occur outside of normal work hours during these periods. This position will report to the PI.

• Responsible to bridge research level code and/or methodologies to operational frameworks in coordination with science team
• Design and implement software solutions to support advanced research processing and/or visualization
• Design, implement, and maintain server architecture to support existing and future instruments for the lifecycle of the respective project
• Design and implement operational planning management systems for existing and future projects
• Assist in the design, implementation and maintenance of Data Management Systems (DMS) for ingestion, storage, and processing of data from sensors and/or models
• Identify inadequacies in current processes and design/implement software to streamline processes

• Assist in the design and implementation of software solutions of remote systems and/or procedures, ensuring efficient operations of remote sensor networks
• Assist or lead, as required, in the development of software and hardware for new instruments
• Assist and/or lead specification of system requirements (performance, functional, operational, etc.)
• Develop sensor/system performance models to assist in verification of sensor design and/or configuration
• Design prototype systems (and associated test campaigns) to verify design performance
• Detailed data analysis to determine performance metrics, verification of design, and investigate the feasibility in a production setting
• Build and/or manufacture sensor systems for field deployment
• Contribute to operational planning for existing and future projects. Includes planning of full project lifecycle (design, manufacture, deployment, operations, etc.)
• Perform group field operations, as required, for the purpose of training, repairing existing instruments, or the installation on new scientific instruments

• Prepare and/or update documentation and technical reports as required
• Assist in the preparation of funding proposals…