Software Engineer

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Job Summary

The candidate will fulfill the role of a Software Engineer for the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA) project. The candidate will be the lead engineer for the Chronoscope (CHR) subsystem of the project. The Chronoscope subsystem will enable a world-leading, near real time search for pulsars and fast radio bursts; the discovery of pulsars, and the discovery of the spin-down of a binary pulsar system due to gravitational radiation, were both awarded Nobel prizes. The role involves the design, implementation, and testing of GPU compute kernels, and associated host code, for the CHR real-time pipeline. Particular challenges include high-throughput beamforming via a Fourier transform approach, the removal of the effects of interstellar and intergalactic dispersion, and pulsar candidate identification.

The candidate will be based at the Caltech campus. This role includes opportunities for growth through wide-ranging interactions within the world-leading Caltech astronomy department and with a range of close external collaborators, and mentorship within the group.

Essential Job Duties

• Responsible for the design, implementation, and testing of GPU computer kernels, and associated host code, for the CHR real-time pipeline.
• Will make recommendations on the requirements for CHR hardware design, and on the design of the experimental setup.
• Will work in close collaboration with Prof. Vikram Ravi and his group, and key DSA-2000 personnel both local and remote, in a team-based environment.
• Will travel to OVRO, as needed, to collaborate with and learn from engineering staff.