Time-Domain Astronomy Data Tools Engineer

Caltech

Pasadena (CA)

On-site

USD 35,000 - 44,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) at Caltech seeks an Associate Research Technician to join a team developing tools for astronomical data streams and alert brokers. This one-year term appointment starts October 2026 and offers opportunities to work with SkyPortal and related systems.

You will develop Python integrations, connect databases with real-time data streams, and collaborate with scientists to specify requirements, troubleshoot, test solutions, and improve user experiences.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in CS/DS/Engineering or related field with 2–4 years of relevant experience; master may substitute up to two years.
Experience using Git/GitHub and collaborative software-development workflows.
Experience with SQL and/or NoSQL databases such as PostgreSQL or MongoDB.
Experience developing and testing user-facing software, including UI/UX design principles.
Experience with a front-end framework such as React.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain Python integrations that connect relational databases with astronomical data streams and alert brokers through APIs or Kafka.
Work with scientists to define requirements, troubleshoot moderately complex technical issues, test solutions, and improve system capabilities and user experience.