Application Developer

California Institute of Technology
vision insurance, parental leave, paid time off, sick time, tuition reimbursement
United States, California, Pasadena
Feb 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 is seeking Software Applications Developers to join the User Interface development staff of the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). Come be a part of the team that is helping astronomers and data scientists worldwide access and explore IRSA's petabyte archives of astronomy data! IPAC, part of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Division at Caltech (www.caltech.edu), provides science operations, user support, data and archive services, and scientific vision to enhance discovery with observatories both in space and on the ground. IRSA (http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu) is the steward of scientific data sets, ancillary data products, and documentation delivered by NASA's Infrared and Sub-millimeter missions. We are developing services for researchers seeking to exploit its petabyte-scale holdings of astronomy mission data using data science techniques. We are also preparing to support upcoming astrophysics missions including: SPHEREx, a NASA mission which will conduct a spectroscopic, infrared survey of the entire sky; Euclid, a European Space Agency (ESA) mission to study the geometry and nature of the dark Universe; and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Additionally, we provide archive services for NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory, and the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), an NSF-supported time domain survey led by Caltech. Essential Job Duties As an IPAC Applications Developer, you will work with the engineering and scientific team members on user interface development tasks which may include: Developing and improving tools to help scientists combine, extract, visualize and exploit information from archived datasets. Building and operating efficient search and retrieval mechanisms for IRSA's petabyte-scale growing data holdings. Developing graphical web user interfaces, and/or interactive data analysis tools. Interpreting and implementing project requirements and documenting the work that you've accomplished. Basic Qualifications If you have the following in your background, then we want to hear about your interest in joining our team: Bachelor's or equivalent degree in a technical subject such as Astronomy, Physics, Math, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Sciences, or a related field. 5+ years of experience as a software developer in a Unix/Linux environment using C++, Java, JavaScript, and/or Python. Familiarity with software configuration management principles and tools, source code version control (e.g., Git/GitHub) and issue/bug tracking systems (e.g., Jira). Experience working with Firefly, IPAC's open source user interface toolkit. Preferred Qualifications Beyond these basic qualifications, there are a set of skills and experiences which will add to your ability to contribute to the roles and responsibilities of an IPAC Applications Developer. Any of the following might give you a head start here, but even if these do not describe you or your experience, we would still like to hear from you! Master's or equivalent degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Science, or related field. Demonstrated ability with JavaScript frameworks such as React and Redux, and related web technologies such as HTML, JSON, CSS and websocket. Familiarity with multithreaded programming and client-server design and communication. Familiarity with functional programming, promises, closures etc. Experience working with scientific data sets and use cases. Required Documents Resume. People choose to work at IPAC for many reasons, and our casual, employee-centric culture often leads to fulfilling, long-term careers and lasting relationships. IPAC staff have access to Caltech's benefits programs and facilities, including the athletic center, libraries, on-site daycare, professional development and enrichment classes, and Athenaeum club membership. Hiring Range $109,000 - $125,000 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.