SKA ORGANISATION - The Square Kilometre Array

SKA ORGANISATION
Job Particulars
Chief System Engineer
Competitive Salary and Flexible Benefits
Job Title: Chief System Engineer
Reference: CSE01
Reports To: SKA Project Manager
Closing Date for applications: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but those received on
or before 7 August 2012, will be given full consideration.
Submission of applications: Email to jobs@skatelescope.org
Organisation Background
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a multi‐purpose radio telescope that will play a major role in
answering key questions in modern astrophysics and cosmology. It will be one of a small number of
cornerstone observatories around the world that will provide astrophysicists and cosmologists with a
transformational view of the Universe.
Since 2008, the global radio astronomy community has been engaged in the development of the SKA as
a major part of the ‘Preparatory’ phase of the project. The Preparatory phase ended in December 2011
and, following a number of major changes, the international SKA project has now progressed to the
‘Pre‐Construction’ phase (2012‐15) with the establishment of a new legal entity, the SKA Organisation,
on 14 December 2011. The SKA Organisation will be based in the Alan Turing Building, The University of
Manchester until October 2012, at which time it will move to a purpose‐built building at Jodrell Bank
Observatory in Cheshire, UK.
The SKA Organisation has annual income of around £5 M and will employ approximately 30 staff by the
end of 2012.
General Description
The Office of the SKA Organisation (“SKA Office”) will lead the SKA system design and oversee the
supporting developments and designs within the globally distributed SKA work packages (WPs). To
accomplish this goal the SKA Office will employ highly qualified scientists, project managers and system
engineers. Work packages for the major SKA subsystems (elements) will be contracted on a small
number of work package consortia who will be responsible for the management, execution and delivery
of the work packages. The technical strategy and philosophy of the project are strongly based on system
engineering principles.
The Chief System Engineer will report to the SKA Project Manager and will be responsible to lead the
system engineering effort and the system engineering team for the SKA as well as to actively execute
parts of the SKA system level system engineering tasks. The Chief System Engineer will assist the SKA
Project Manager in the management of the technical effort.
As the Chief System Engineer for the SKA it will be expected that you will be highly skilled in the system
engineering domain and very well skilled in the radio astronomy domain. If not the latter, you should
have the ability to develop the high level know‐how in radio astronomy in a very short period of time.
The Chief System Engineer will furthermore be required to actively perform aspects of the system
engineering effort such as requirements extraction, analysis, verification and management, trade‐off
2012‐06‐25 Page 1 of 3

studies, modelling and system architectural design. Under the leadership of the Chief System Engineer
the SKA Office system engineering team will form the execution arm of the technical system
engineering effort at system level.
The Chief System Engineer will work very closely with the SKA Project Engineer(s) and SKA Project
Scientist(s) at the technical level to ensure the successful definition, design and eventual integration and
delivery of an SKA system which is technically capable of delivering the required science.
In addition the Chief System Engineer will also be required to lead/participate in Integrated Task Teams
and/or Domain Groups as allocated to him/her by the SKA Project Manager.
Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties
The key responsibilities, accountabilities and duties for the Chief System Engineer include:
Identification, development, roll out and maintenance of the SKA system engineering approach
and tools at system level, and oversight of these aspects at the lower levels. As such the Chief
System Engineer will own the SKA System Engineering Management Plan and will ensure that
the plan are up to date and detailed enough for the system engineering team and work package
consortia to utilise during all the phases of the SKA lifecycle.
Lead and actively contribute to the overall SKA system engineering effort including:
o Requirements analysis
o Requirements verification,
o Functional analysis,
o Functional verification,
o Synthesis, and
o Design verification.
Ensure that the system requirements are complete.
Extract and allocate requirements to SKA elements.
Lead the interface identification, definition, design and management effort.
Ensure a focus on a total lifecycle view and approach to the technical effort.
Maintain a good overall perspective of the system.
Lead and allocate responsibilities within the system engineering team for the solicitation,
definition, clarification, documentation and management of system requirements.
Participate in trade‐off studies
Lead the development of integration, test and verification plans and procedures at system level.
Ensure the eventual successful delivery of the technical documents, data and information at the
end of the Pre‐Construction Phase to facilitate seamless transition to the next phase.
Provide guidance and leadership to the SKA Office Element System Engineers.
Lead the development and ensure complete, high quality deliverables for each SKA system
technical review.
Be responsible for the establishment, roll out and leading of the effort in system engineering
disciplines such as standardisation, obsolescence management, change management,
documentation management, risk management, templates and the selection and application of
standards.
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
You will have:
A university degree (MSc, PhD) in Physics or Engineering, another closely related and relevant
field, or equivalent expertise.
Demonstrated experience in the development of the full range of system engineering products
within large complex projects.
2012‐06‐25 Page 2 of 3

Demonstrated experience in the utilisation of system engineering tools within a complex
environment.
Demonstrated experience in leading system engineering or other engineering teams.
Good oral and written communication skills.
Willingness to represent the SKA Office in international and other forums, ability to work closely
with regional SKA management staff from a variety of cultures, and willingness to travel to SKA
consortium locations and centres.
Membership of, or eligibility for membership of, recognised national and international
engineering institutes.
Familiarity with the formalism for, and requirements of, quality control environments such as
ISO9000.
Very desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience
The following competencies are very desirable:
High level technical knowledge of radio astronomy instruments and techniques or a clear
demonstrated ability to quickly learn the major technical aspects of radio astronomy and radio
astronomy instruments will be considered an advantage.
Experience in forming an effective interface between science and engineering teams.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience
The following competencies are desirable:
Experience in design for volume production and/or in large‐scale manufacturing.
Industry experience, and/or a track record in successful collaborative links with industry.
Format of Applications
The following information must accompany applications:
Signed cover letter addressing at least all of the Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
criteria.
Detailed and up to date Curriculum Vitae.
Contact information of at least three references.
Further Information
For further information please contact Kobus Cloete.
Email: cloete@skatelescope.org
Telephone: +44 (0)161 275 4081
2012‐06‐25 Page 3 of 3