EMS Engineer for SKA-Mid

Big Science Sweden; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Big Science Sweden is seeking an EMS Engineer based in Cape Town to design, develop, and integrate the Engineering Management System (EMS) for SKA-Mid operations. You’ll work across the stack—from API integrations and databases to user-facing tools—within a SAFe environment, collaborating with UK and Australia teams to support engineering operations.

The role involves both front-end and back-end development, with DevOps practices adopted across the project.

Qualifications

• Experience as a software engineer in SAFe Agile environments.
• Ability to work across front-end and back-end development.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate the Engineering Management System (EMS).
• Work across the stack from API integrations and databases to user-facing tools.
• Collaborate with the SAFe team to support operations tooling for SKA-Mid and SKA-Low.

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled software engineer to join the SKA-Mid Computing and Software team as part of the global effort to bring the Square Kilometre Array Observatory into operation. As part of a SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) development team, you will help build and support the Engineering Management System (EMS) — the platform that integrates maintenance, configuration, logistics, and operational data across the telescope, giving Engineering Operations teams a unified view of the systems they run and maintain.

We are looking for an EMS Engineer to support the development of engineering operations tooling for the SKA-Mid and SKA-Low telescopes. The role is based in South Africa, working closely with colleagues in the UK and Australia as part of a globally distributed SAFe Agile team. You will work under the direction of the SKA-Mid Controls Manager, contributing to a system that will underpin engineering decision‑making for the lifetime of the Observatory.

The Role

As part of the SKA-Mid Computing and Software team, the EMS Engineer will contribute to the design, development, and integration of the Engineering Management System, working within a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) team. The EMS combines Logistic Support Analysis, Configuration Management, Maintenance Management, Problem Reporting, Finance, and Sensor Data into a single, coherent platform, improving the efficiency and reliability of engineering operations across all SKA sites.

You will work closely with the SKA-Mid Operations team to implement and support EMS functionality, and with the wider SAFe system team to adopt and apply DevOps practices. The role involves both front‑end and back‑end development, and requires someone comfortable working across the stack — from API integrations and databases through to user‑facing tools that engineering and maintenance teams rely on daily.

This is a two-year fixed-term appointment and will be based in Cape Town, South Africa.