Senior Software Engineer

The mission of Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Education and Public Outreach (EPO) subsystem is to provide online data-driven experiences that are accessible and approachable, adding real-world context and opportunities for people to engage with Rubin Observatory and explore the Universe.

The Senior Software Engineer (EPO Technical Lead) is responsible for leading the Technical Team in EPO and aligning the technical direction of the EPO subsystem.

The Senior Software Engineer (EPO Technical Lead) position on the EPO team is a critical role that is part project manager, part people manager, part product owner, and part individual contributor.

They ensure a clear technical direction is established and executed for EPO’s online program, strategically balancing immediate and long-term projects.

They contribute to EPO long term planning, help shape technical goals and milestones, and identify and mitigate technical risks.

The Technical Lead delegates and assigns work effectively to prioritize the overall productivity of EPO team members, and external vendors.

They maintain an understanding of the technical systems they oversee. They perform code reviews and help research, debug, and triage problems as needed.

They have regular 1 : 1s with technical team members to oversee their individual work and support their professional development.

EPO web products include various content-driven and science-data-driven apps, a pipeline / workflow for creating and executing citizen science projects on the zooniverse platform, and multiple integrations with internal and external services and API.

They are expected to spend 30 - 40% of their effort contributing work comparable to that of a Senior Software Engineer.

Essential Functions :

• Ensure the EPO technical infrastructure and staffing reach project-level milestones, and meet stakeholder expectations
• Contribute to EPO long term planning and strategy for technical projects
• Day-to-day project management and resource allocation
• Provide functional management, mentorship, and guidance to the EPO Tech Team
• Inform digital governance and accessibility standards
• Develop and maintain software specifications and requirements
• Works as a full-stack engineer, in a largely self-directed manner, to develop technical solutions at the level of that of a Senior Software Engineer
• Write conceptual and technical documentation.
• Periodically participate in user testing / focus groups, peer / code reviews, and various meetings
• Provide estimates for time and effort required to accomplish planned work
• Responsible for tracking work effort
• Follow Agile best practices
• Serve as a resource in area(s) of technical expertise
• Occasionally present work at conferences, internal meetings, and annual reviews
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else.

This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.

For detailed information on proper custodial care of government property, refer to the AURA Employee Handbook at

Other Functions :

Other duties as assigned

Required Education / Experience / Skills / Abilities :

• Fluency in Python 3
• Familiarity with developing and / or using APIs
• Experience with cloud providers like AWS or Google Cloud
• Comfortable with git version control and Linux CLI
• Ability to capture and read error output and log files

Preferred Education / Experience / Skills / Abilities :

• Bachelor degree or higher
• 3+ years experience with React (especially app development)
• Experience with Craft 4 CMS, Drupal, or Django
• Experience with Docker
• Experience managing Kubernetes clusters running Docker containers (especially with ArgoCD)
• Experience with infrastructure as code, such as : Terraform
• Experience with cloud providers like AWS or Google Cloud
• Able to work collaboratively with leadership across teams and subsystems
• Experience with Python, Jupyter, JupyterLab, JupyterHub, and / or Bokeh
• Experience handling terabyte-scale data
• Astronomical data expertise (FITS, HiPS, etc.)
• Is an active participant in the open source community
• Interest in science and online education

Physical Demands :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must possess sufficient mobility and dexterity to utilize computer systems required for programming, such as a laptop.
• Must possess 1) ability to read and understand instructions, drawings, safety guides, and other written materials in English necessary to perform job;
• 2) sufficient spoken aural capacity to hear and understand instructions, warning bells, fire alarms, or shouted instructions in English without assistance of auditory aids other than a hearing aid;

and 3) ability to impart information orally so that others understand and can respond appropriately.

Some travel may be necessary in or outside the contiguous United States.

Salary Range : $132,600-$143,500. The final salary will depend on skills, qualifications and experience.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment.

Details on benefits can be found at

The position will remain open until it is filled. To be considered in the first round of reviews, please submit your application by April 12, 2024.

• Please submit a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. Please name any attachments with the following format : Lastname Docname.
• Application documents that are not uploaded as part of the application may be sent to .
• Please enter 3 professional references in your application (references will only be contacted later in the recruitment process).

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of 49 US institutions and 3 international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories for the and .

AURA’s role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research.

In addition, AURA is deeply committed to public and educational outreach, and to throughout the astronomical and scientific workforce.

AURA carries out its role through its astronomical facilities.

As a recipient of Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations.

As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity / gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and / or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws.

The statements below as well as the requests for self-identification are required pursuant to these regulations. We encourage your participation in meeting these federal reporting requirements which are included for protection and to assist us in our recordkeeping and reporting.

Your responses are kept strictly confidential.