Position Description: Position SummaryThe National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a prestigious research and development organization that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) is a nonprofit organization that manages and operates the NRAO under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Observatory is a hub for technological and scientific collaboration, operating state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. The Observatory has been instrumental in the study of black holes, galaxies, and the early universe.
The NRAO develops and maintains software used by the astronomy community for proposing, planning, scheduling, and analyzing observations made with these telescopes. We are seeking a mid-level Software Engineer with strong software testing experience to join the Science User Applications Group (SUA). SUA builds some of the Observatory's most visible user-facing software, including the NRAO Science Archive and the Science Proposal applications. You will help ensure that these applications are reliable, well tested, and easy to change with confidence.
You will have the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of tools critical to the Observatory, for both current telescopes and the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA).
This position will be based in Albuquerque, NM; Socorro, NM; Charlottesville, VA; or Green Bank, WV. For well-qualified candidates, a remote work arrangement may be considered.
What You Will be Doing:Your initial focus will be on the NRAO Science Archive, working with the Archive Team. Over time, your work may extend to other SUA teams, including the team responsible for Proposal Submission. Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Designing, building, and maintaining a robust, automated test infrastructure covering unit, integration, and end-to-end testing
- Writing and maintaining automated tests for both backend services and web user interfaces
- Integrating testing into CI/CD pipelines so problems are caught early and releases are dependable
- Identifying performance bottlenecks and regressions through profiling and load testing
- Working with developers to improve testability, diagnose defects, and raise code quality across the group's applications
- Contributing to the design and delivery of key components of these systems
Team members also maintain and upgrade existing software and develop new tools that support the Observatory's evolving observing methods, helping keep the Observatory at the forefront of science and technology.
Work EnvironmentYou will join a team of professionals engaged in research and development in science, engineering, software development, and education. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment.
Who You Are: You have:- A bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, a scientific field, or related field; highly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor's degree. An advanced degree is not required but is welcome.
- A minimum of one year experience in the development of software applications.
- At least three years of professional experience in software development or software testing is preferred, with a significant portion focused on test automation and quality practices.
- Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Must be familiar with standard software engineering concepts, practices and procedures through academic training or internship experience(s).
Competencies- Professional experience designing and implementing automated tests, including unit, integration, and end-to-end tests
- Experience with testing frameworks and tools, such as pytest, JUnit, Jasmine/Karma, Cypress, Playwright, or Selenium
- Experience with version control and with building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines that run automated tests
- Experience developing software in Python, Java, or a comparable language
- Experience testing web applications and APIs, and an understanding of HTTP and RESTful services
- Experience debugging and profiling software systems, including diagnosing performance problems
- Understanding of object-oriented design and the ability to write maintainable, well-structured code
- Experience with relational databases and the ability to create and manage test data
- Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new languages, frameworks, and tools
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills - both verbally and in writing
- The ability and interest to work as part of a team in a Scrum environment.
While not required, you may have:- Familiarity with web front-end technologies such as Angular, TypeScript, and webpack
- Experience with performance and load testing tools
- Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker, Docker Compose, Docker Swarm, or Kubernetes
- Familiarity with object-relational mapping (for example, SQLAlchemy) and messaging systems such as RabbitMQ
- Experience with test strategy, test planning, and defect tracking
- Familiarity with basic astronomical principles and data reduction
Additional RequirementObservatory employees must be authorized to work in the United States. The Observatory presently cannot sponsor new H-1B Visas for this position.
Total Rewards: CompensationThe starting salary of this position is between $96,588 and $120,000. Factors which may affect starting pay may include; education, experience, skills, competencies, other qualifications of the successful candidate, as well as internal equity and labor market conditions.
Benefits:Associated Universities, Inc (AUI) offers a comprehensive benefits package addressing the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements. AUI provides:
- Excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days)
- Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment.
- AUI's retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant's base pay with no required employee contribution.
- Click Total Rewards for more information.
Application Instructions: For consideration, select the "Apply" button above. Please be prepared upload a cover letter describing your interest in this position along with a current resume.
We reserve the right to close this posting prior to the listed expiration date above based on the volume and/or quality of the applicant pool.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to PM20
