Optics and Systems Group Lead

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Job Summary

Caltech Optical Observatories (COO) is inviting highly qualified candidates to apply for the position of contributing Optics and Systems Group Lead within its Optical and Infrared (OIR) Instrumentation Group and reports to the Associate Director of Instrumentation and Development. The OIR Group develops world-class visible and infrared astronomical adaptive optics systems, imaging cameras, and spectrographs for the Palomar, Keck, and Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatories, as well as other astronomical facilities and flight missions in support of Caltech faculty and student astrophysics research.

Applicants are expected to have a demonstrated record of successfully managing diverse personnel developing optics for sophisticated astronomical, experimental physics, or commercial optoelectromechanical instrumentation, while also making significant individual contributions to cross-disciplinary project teams.

The successful candidate will possess comprehensive optics and/or instrument engineering knowledge spanning multiple applications and a record of effective leadership, support, conflict resolution, and career development for a diverse technical workforce. They will maintain close awareness of scientific and industry trends, are expected to gain high-level knowledge of Caltech research and business operations, and effectively work in close collaboration with the Associate Director for Instrumentation Development, the Caltech faculty, and peer-group managers delivering an ambitious portfolio of leading-edge instrumentation.

The position is based at and requires routine presence on the Caltech campus, with occasional travel and work at high altitudes (up to 14,000 ft.). Both daytime and occasional nighttime schedules, including in low light level conditions, may be occasionally required. The position requires a successful pre-employment physical, DMV, and background checks.

Essential Job Duties

• Manage the Optics and System Group; perform annual employee performance reviews, manage employee probationary goals and, as necessary, address performance and/or disciplinary issues; ensure employee awareness and compliance with Institute policies, procedures, practices, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and oversight of optics, instrument architecture, and systems engineering subdiscipline analysis and development activities.
• Foster continuous improvement of Optics and Systems Groups' internal processes, product quality, and time management practices.
• Interact regularly and effectively with internal and external project managers, senior engineering staff, supervisors of complementary discipline groups, faculty, students, and administrative professionals.
• Interact with customer stakeholders at partner observatories, universities, federal research laboratories, and private foundations.
• Identify emerging technologies, architectures, tools, and techniques for maintaining international leadership in astronomical instrumentation.
• Serve on review boards and lead peer reviews of subsystem activities, as necessary.
• Maintain a safe and supportive working environment.
• Predict, identify, and resolve potential interpersonal conflicts, promoting innovative problem-solving and sound decision-making.
• Recruit, mentor, and retain a highly qualified subdiscipline staff by providing career coaching and technical and personal development for direct report employees, including setting goals and ensuring they are achieved.

In this position, the successful candidate will also be expected to:

• Provide high-level, individual technical contributions in the subdiscipline as a member of multiple cross-disciplinary instrumentation development and support teams, reporting to internal and external project managers.
• Design and engineer highly sophisticated state-of-the-art research instruments, apparatus, and equipment for internal and external customers.
• Generate and review costs and schedules for subsystem deliverables.
• Consult with and advise researchers and/or students with the design, set-up, modification, and execution of experiments.
• Provide input to research reports, journal articles, and/or conference proceedings.
• Participate in strategic planning, funding, acquisition, and laboratory development to support the future direction and needs of the OIR Group.
• Perform other related functions and duties as assigned.
• Demonstrate Customer Focus: Demonstrate a concern for the needs and expectations of customers (internal or external); focus efforts on identifying and meeting the needs of customers; use an understanding of customer needs as the basis for decision-making and organizational action; build strong relationships of trust with customers.
• Make Good Decisions: Apply logic and practical thinking to decision making; gather necessary input and data from multiple sources to inform decisions and make decisions based on one's best thinking given the time available; make reasonable conclusions based on data and information; make decisions in a timely manner regardless of pressure or uncertainty; make decisions quickly when called to do so; consider the financial impact of decisions.
• Plan / Organize: Determine objectives and strategies required to deliver results; allocate resources according to organizational priorities; determine how to use resources efficiently to accomplish a task or project; consider the financial impact of decisions.
• Demonstrate Technical Knowledge and Skills: Apply technical and professional skills or knowledge in position-related areas; keep up with current developments and trends in areas of expertise.
• Build Trusting Partnerships: Develop and leverage collaborative relationships based on mutual trust to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals; work cooperatively with stakeholders to identify and meet mutual goals.
• Clearly Communicate: Clearly and succinctly convey information and ideas to individuals and groups; shape communication to the needs of the audience; convey ideas and opinions clearly to others; share relevant information and expectations openly, honestly, and in a timely fashion; listen attentively to others.
• Actively Learn: Demonstrate zeal for new information, knowledge, and experiences; regularly seek and capitalize on learning opportunities; quickly assimilate and apply new information.
• Demonstrate Agility/Flexibility: Be open to changing conditions; adjust one's behavior in light of changing conditions; adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures.
• Coach and Develop Their Group and Others: Provide feedback, instruction, and development guidance to help an individual expand knowledge, skill, or ability to accomplish a task or fulfill their role; plan and support the career growth and development of individual skills and abilities.

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in engineering, physics, astronomy, or related field and a minimum of 12 years' technical subdiscipline experience, or equivalent.
• Familiarity with effective systems engineering including requirements engineering, error budget analysis, and requirements flow-down, formal interface control, risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Experience successfully supervising or leading technical engineering teams.
• Enthusiasm to make impactful contributions to human knowledge and understanding, both individually and through collaboration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to lead technical peers and work collegially with astronomical faculty.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and conceptual skills, with an ability to express complex technical concepts to non-experts.
• Broad knowledge of experimental physics and multidisciplinary engineering principles.
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs. and pass a low-light level visual evaluation as the role requires setting up optical tests and fixturing at this level.
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain by the date of hire, a valid Driver's License, and maintain it throughout employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. in engineering, physics, astronomy, or related field and 12 years' experience, or equivalent.
• Strong record of successful delivery of astronomical instrumentation.
• Experience working with astronomy, astrophysics, or physics research and teaching faculty.
• National and international recognition for experimental research or instrumentation leadership.
• A demonstrated record of effective technical personnel management.

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter