Job Posting Title:

Mechanical Engineer, McDonald Observatory

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Hiring Department:

McDonald Observatory

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The McDonald Observatory is a major astronomical research observatory located 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from the UT Austin campus). This position is located on the UT Austin campus and will require occasional travel to the observatory.

The engineering work from this position will be part of the application of a wide range of disciplines including, mechanical, optical, electronic, vacuum, cryogenic, and software engineering, used together to build state-of-the-art research instrumentation for astronomy. The research with those instruments includes the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, understanding how the elements and their various isotopes were formed, understanding how the successive generations of stars have changed the chemical composition of the universe, understanding the mechanisms that change the galaxies with time, and understanding the history of the expansion of the universe itself.

The University of Texas at Austin provides an outstanding benefits package to staff, including:

Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%)

Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options

Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays

Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)

Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b)

Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses

For more details, please see https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards.

Purpose

This position works in the McDonald Observatory's instrumentation group, exercising a wide latitude of independent judgment to design, analyze, build, test, and support optomechanical and electromechanical subsystems for the McDonald Observatory instrument and telescope development projects. This position reports to the Chief Scientist.

Responsibilities

Designs and develops scientific instrumentation and mechanical equipment, often iteratively, including detailed requirements, design, modeling, and analysis, with wide latitude for independent action and decision.

Interfaces with project leadership and staff to contribute substantially to the development of design concepts and requirements for new projects. Performs prototypes and supporting analyses and writes reports.

Produces fabrication drawings. Places, monitors, and supports fabrication of designed parts in machines and other workshops.

Directs, coordinates, or assists, according to assignment, in the assembly, deployment, commissioning, and field support of developed instrumentation and mechanical equipment.

Documents projects, and submits technical reports and project results to management. Participate in design reviews and the publication of journal articles as appropriate.

Continues development of engineering skill set and identifies new technologies valuable to the instrumentation. Performs other functions as required to support business needs.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or field related to the work performed and at least six (6) years of related experience, or a master's degree in a field related to the work performed and at least four (4) years of related experience.

Experience with engineering and/or scientific equipment ordinarily used in a lab setting on mechanical, optical, and electronic assemblies used in research.

Experience and knowledge of engineering and scientific methods in instrumentation-based research, design, assembly, and commissioning of precision instrumentation.

Experience using or designing specialized research equipment as required by the research project.

Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Effective organizational skills.

Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and as an integral project team member.

Demonstrable good judgment.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering with six years’ work experience in a related field, or bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with eight years of experience in a related field.

Additional experience handling, assembling, and troubleshooting astronomical instrumentation in a lab setting and at telescopes.

Demonstrable learning of new disciplines outside of those learned during formal education.

Familiarity with the electronic systems used in instrumentation motion control.

Experience assembling and handling precision optical components.

Experience with vacuum and cryogenic systems.

Project management training and/or experience.

Salary Range

$85,000+ depending on qualifications and experience

Working Conditions

May work in all weather conditions

Use of manual dexterity

Climbing of stairs and ladders

May include free climbing on/around heavy equipment

May include working in/from man-lifts and scissor lifts

Heavy lifting and moving (must be able to lift 35lbs)

Working with hazardous chemicals, cryogenic liquids, and chemical fumes

May work around electrical and mechanical hazards

Sometimes requires working extended hours in inclement weather with hazardous equipment or materials

Working at a computer, repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Use of approved safety equipment is required.  May be required to undergo respirator fit testing.

Occasional work at the McDonald Observatory in West Texas for up to two weeks at a time, working days and/or nights in support of instrument deployment and maintenance

McDonald Observatory is located approximately 6800 feet above sea level.  Environmental conditions can be unpredictable, and temperatures can range from -10˚F and +85˚F.  Inclement winter weather can be expected which requires comfortable driving in wintry conditions on mountain grades.

Work Shift

Generally, M-F, 8 am – 5 pm

Occasional travel required to McDonald Observatory, 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles away from the UT Austin campus)

Required Materials

Letter of interest

Resume/CV

Three work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Application Instructions

External Applicant - Applicants NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume in the first step of the online job application process. Then, any additional Required Materials will be uploaded in the My Experience section; you can multi-select the additional files or click the Upload button for each file. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.​

Internal Applicant - Current university employees and contingent workers applicants: Before you apply, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left-hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile. As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find Jobs. The application is one page, you can multi-select the additional files or click the Upload button for each file. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.