Winterover Experiment Operator

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Job category:

Academic Staff

Employment type:

Terminal (Fixed Term)

Job profile:

Research CI Spec II

Job summary:

Winterovers enjoy a variety of job duties during their estimated 13 month deployment at the South Pole. Technical duties include operating and maintaining the IceCube detector subsystems; operating and maintaining complex computer data systems at the South Pole; uploading the research data via satellite to the northern hemisphere; analyzing and resolving problems with the detector electronics; providing critical hardware and software support; writing and submitting weekly reports to the collaboration and monthly reports to the National Science Foundation; and participating in Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center outreach activities.

The winterovers will be members of a small, isolated community at the South Pole for eight months of the year. Community members participate in a wide range of activities including serving on a fire or trauma team and doing kitchen tasks, general cleaning, and station opening and closing duties. The winterovers will also attend the National Science Foundation (NSF) contractor orientation program and must pass the physical and psychological evaluations to work at polar and high-altitude sites for one year and must be vaccinated, as required by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs.

Key job responsibilities:

• Provides expertise and experience in CI to lead troubleshooting, analysis, operation, and support of advanced computing systems and for research

• Participates in station emergency response team activities, general station cleaning responsibilities, and other station

  activities as required by ASC/NSF

• Develops unique and custom Cyber Infrastructure solutions for research needs

• Writes and updates documentation and tutorials supporting CI activities for research. May provide brief courses for internal researchers and external collaborators

• Provides consultation and expertise for research proposals. May act as technical lead for cyber infrastructure projects. May serve as Co-Principal Investigator for a proposal

• Participates in IceCube/WIPAC outreach activities where possible

• Serves as a CI domain expert, provides direct support of users, other staff providing support of users, and advanced computing systems

Department:

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

Compensation:

Minimum: $78,000 ANNUAL (12 months)

Required qualifications:

• Experience with Linux/Unix operating systems including configuring core services and network management
• Writing scripts for system diagnostics and/or task automation (e.g. Bash, Python, Perl).
• Ability to take initiative (must be a self-starter)
• Excellent communication and organization skills.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with operational procedures for scientific instruments/industrial equipment.
• Knowledge of computer systems security methodology and experience with host-based security tools
• High-performing computing hardware maintenance and debugging skills.
• Experience with data storage products such as RAID disk arrays.
• Understanding of TCP/IP networking.
• Familiarity with configuration management systems (e.g. Puppet, Ansible, Chef)
• Experience with centralized IT monitoring solutions (e.g. Nagios, CheckMK, Prometheus, etc.)
• Ability to use standard laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, etc.
• General electronics debugging and repair skills.
• Experience working at polar and/or high-altitude sites and remote locations.

Education:

Preferred
Master's Degree or Ph.D. in engineering, physics, computer science, or IT degree with at least 3 years of professional, job-related work experience; or Bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of professional, job-related work experience

Required
Bachelor's Degree

How to apply:

To apply for this position, click the Apply Now button on the jobs.wisc.edu website. Please submit a resume and cover letter, as well as a list of three references. Cover letters should reference job number JR10005189, and highlight experience, knowledge, and skills as they relate to the listed qualifications for maximum consideration.

Contact information:

Christy Lowney, christy.lowney@wisc.edu

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

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