Detector Engineering Group Leader

Detector Engineering Group Leader

Caltech
Job Category: Fulltime Regular
Exempt Overtime Eligible: Exempt
Benefits Eligible: Benefit Based

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Job Summary

LIGO Livingston Observatory (LLO) relies on continuing efforts by scientists and engineers to maintain and improve the 4-km detector's displacement sensitivity (and thereby its astrophysical range) and its duty cycle. Together these goals lead to more frequent observations of gravitational waves recorded by the network of detectors that includes LIGO (USA), Virgo (Europe), and KAGRA (Japan) interferometers. LIGO seeks a new leader of its Detector Engineering Group at LIGO Livingston.

The successful candidate will collaborate closely with the operations team and commissioning scientists at LIGO Livingston Observatory and LIGO Hanford Observatory, together with colleagues at Caltech and MIT. As a leader of the detector engineers, you will have the opportunity to apply your skills to the operation, design, development, and commissioning of technologies that increase the LIGO detector sensitivity and robustness.

The Detector Group tracks and reduces the noise sources that limit the current detector sensitivity; model optical subsystems of the interferometer and compare to data; calibrate the interferometer length sensitivity; investigate and eliminate noise couplings from the external environment of the detector; devise and implement operational methods to improve duty cycle; and carry out R&D projects for future gravitational wave detectors. The leader also carries site authority and responsibility to organize assembly and integration of detector improvement projects.

This is an Organizational Critical position. In the event of an emergency on campus, an employee designated as organizational critical is expected to report to Campus as soon as possible to assist in division/department response and recovery efforts.

Essential Job Duties

• Reporting to the LLO operations manager, lead and direct the LLO Detector Engineering Group. This group, working with the detector operator group, monitors, characterizes, maintains and repairs working detector configurations. The goal is high-quality reliable uptime.
• Lead technical and procedural efforts to improve detector engineering support and equipment configuration and monitoring, including use of computerized operation and maintenance management systems.
• Recruit, lead, mentor and supervise LLO Detector Engineering team members, encouraging career-related knowledge and growth. Manage daily supervision of LLO detector engineering team, including, but not limited to, timecard management, annual performance and salary evaluation, as well as work direction guidance and professional development opportunities. Matrix-manage detector-engineering-related work by detector operators.
• Work with LLO's head, operations manager and other group leaders to plan and execute LLO detector and site operations and maintenance.
• Serve as LLO's integration project manager, matrixed-managed by the overall LIGO Laboratory detector improvement and commissioning project manager. Lead activities that are part of assembly, installation and integration of detector improvement projects at LLO.
• Using project management tools, track activities related to observatory operations, detector preventative and corrective maintenance, vacuum vent activities, and detector improvement projects, including matters of timing, resource-loading, dependencies, and personnel.
• Plan and manage use of LLO's key technical resources and spaces, with a goal to optimize productivity related to both site operations and to detector improvement activities. Work with observatory and Lab leadership to identify and address resource shortfalls.
• Other Duties as Assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• M.S. in physics or a relevant engineering discipline; or equivalent experience.
• Expert knowledge and 8 or more years of experience in one or more of the technologies used in LIGO's detectors: experimental physics, laser science or engineering, optics, precision mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, vacuum science, systems engineering, and materials engineering.
• 5 years or more experience managing and leading complex multi-discipline hardware engineering projects at a scientific or engineering facility.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of gravitational-wave detector operation.
• Successful experience using a resource-loaded scheduling system, for example Microsoft Project.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in physics or a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience working at an NSF-funded research facility, including fiscal planning, sponsor reporting and review roles.
• Experience as the line supervisor of groups of engineers or scientists.
• Experience successfully managing one or more hardware or instrumentation projects from early planning through successful operation.
• Experience with contamination control and/or ultra-high vacuum science and practice.

Required Documents

• Resume.