NEO Surveyor Lead Scientist

California Institute of Technology
vision insurance, parental leave, paid time off, sick time, tuition reimbursement, 403(b)
United States, California, Pasadena
Mar 11, 2025
Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community. Job Summary IPAC at Caltech invites applications for the Lead Scientist of the team that is developing the Survey Data System for NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission. As Lead Scientist you will work closely with the IPAC/NEOS Task Lead and System Architect to guide the overall development, test, and operation of the NEO Surveyor Survey Data Systems (NSDS) at IPAC. IPAC is part of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Division at Caltech. We are a dedicated team of scientists, engineers, and administrative personnel who provide science operations, user support, data and archive services, and scientific vision to maximize discovery with observatories both in space and on the ground. NEO Surveyor is a NASA Planetary Defense mission, scheduled to launch in 2027, that is optimized to detect, track, and characterize solar system small bodies that pose a potential risk to the Earth. NEO Surveyor consists of a passively cooled 50 cm telescope located at Sun-Earth L1 equipped with a wide-field camera that will image the sky simultaneously in two mid-infrared bands. NEO Surveyor will detect approximately 100,000 Main Belt asteroids, NEOs, and comets each day against a background of tens of millions of distant stars and galaxies. IPAC is building the NEOS Survey Data System (NSDS) that ingests imaging and engineering data from the flight system, processes those data into calibrated image and source detection products, performs automated searches for moving solar system objects, assesses the quality of the survey data, and distributes data products to NASA archives and the user community. Essential Job Duties IPAC uses an integrated team approach to its tasks including a leadership model where the Lead Scientist and Task Lead partner in guiding the team to achieve task objectives. As Lead Scientist you will be responsible for the following: Ensuring that the NSDS design and implementation, including operations, meets all functional and performance requirements for the NEO Surveyor project to achieve its objectives. Ensuring that the data products delivered by the NSDS are of sufficient accuracy and quality to support the needs of the NEO Surveyor objectives, and sufficiently well documented to meet the needs of the community. Reporting project status to IPAC Management and presenting at internal reviews. Reporting progress and status for the NSDS development and operations to the NEOS Project Office at JPL and presenting at project reviews. Serving as liaison with the NEOS PI, Project Scientist, and Science Team and participating in Science Team meetings Representing the NSDS on the NEOS Project Risk Management Board Working on a continuing basis with the NSDS Task Lead and Lead Architect to assess NSDS progress, to confirm alignment with science requirements, to identify challenges and mitigations, and to involve IPAC Management in the discussion as needed. Overseeing the work of NSDS scientists, in particular V&V, QA and Archive scientists, to ensure the NSDS requirements are adequately verified, data products are of sufficient quality, and the products are delivered to and released to the community by the respective archives. Supervising IPAC scientists working on NEOS, providing coaching, mentoring, advocacy, and annual reviews. The IPAC/NEO Surveyor Lead Scientist is expected to be an active participant in the general activities of the IPAC Staff, and to conduct a research program, ideally making use of data from the NEO Surveyor mission. Basic Qualifications PhD with at least 8 years of experience in planetary science, astrophysics, or a closely related technical field. Experience planning, operating, and analyzing data from large scale surveys for asteroids and Near Earth Objects. Experience leading, coaching, and motivating a technical team pursuing scientific objectives. Experience using project management tools such as spreadsheets, scheduling, and issue tracking software. Ability to work in a team environment, including good written and verbal communication skills. Applicants for this position must be a United States (US) person as defined by ITAR regulations - A US person is a citizen of the United States, a lawful permanent resident alien of the US ("Green Card" holder), or an individual granted refugee and asylumstatus under US law. Preferred Qualifications Besides these basic qualifications, there are a set of skills and experience that will enhance your contributions to this role. The following might give you a head start, but even if these don't describe you or your experience, we would still like to hear from you. Experience working on large planetary science, astronomical, or NASA projects. Experience with oversight of software systems or system engineering, including analysis of budgets and task plans. Required Documents Cover Letter. Resume. Names and Contact information of 3 professional references. The application deadline for this position is April 11, 2025. People choose to work at IPAC for many reasons, and the casual, employee-centric culture often leads to fulfilling, long-term careers and lasting professional relationships. Caltech's benefits program offers a quality, competitive benefits package that is affordable for you and the Institute. The program provides a strong base of coverage for you and your dependents, and the ability to choose the plan and the level of coverage that best meet your needs. We also offer a 403(b) defined contribution plan to eligible staff as well as a Voluntary Retirement Savings (TDA) Plan. IPAC staff have access to the Institute's facilities, including the athletic center, libraries, on-site daycare, professional development and enrichment classes, and Athenaeum club membership. Hiring Range $155,000 - $202,500 Per Year The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks. EEO Statement We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Caltech is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. To read more Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) go to eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf. Disability Accommodations If you would like to request an accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Caltech Recruiting at employment@caltech.edu.