Job opportunities
Visible Detector Laboratory Engineer - ARRAKIHS Mission
The IEEC (Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia) was established in February 1996 as a private non-profit foundation (NPO) to promote R&D in the space field in Catalonia. The IEEC is a research institute that studies all areas of knowledge and technologies applied to the space sector and space sciences, including astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, Earth observation, navigation and space engineering. Its mission is to push the frontiers of space research from the scientific and technological fields for the maximum benefit of society. It should also be noted that the Foundation is attached to the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) and forms part of its institutional public sector due to the fact that the Generalitat has a majority participation in the Board of Trustees of the IEEC.
Introduction
The purpose of this call is to select a Visible Detector Laboratory Engineer for the ARRAKIHS mission, within the scientific and technical activities of the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya.
The ARRAKIHS mission, selected by the European Space Agency (ESA), will study low surface brightness structures in nearby galaxies. Within this framework, the IEEC carries out activities related to calibration, visible-light detector characterisation, simulation and instrument performance analysis. The position is associated with the ARRAKIHS PID2025 project, with an official start date planned for September 2026, pending the funding decision.
Description of position
- Positions to be filled: 1. Visible Detector Laboratory Engineer - ARRAKIHS Mission
- Professional group: II. Engineering staff
- Professional category: Research Engineer
- Working hours: Full time, 37.5 hours/week
- Work location: Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (ICE, CSIC), Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona.
Functions
The selected person will prepare, operate and coordinate the laboratory activities required to test and characterise the visible CMOS detectors for the ARRAKIHS mission. The work will be carried out in coordination with IEEC calibration and data-processing teams, consortium partners, industrial teams and ESA when required.
The selected candidate will have the following duties and responsibilities:
- Prepare, install, commission and operate the visible-detector test bench, including the cryostat, vacuum system, thermal control, readout electronics, illumination sources and auxiliary instrumentation.
- Run detector test and characterisation campaigns in accordance with mission calibration and verification needs, including dark, flat-field, linearity, gain, noise, quantum-efficiency and stability measurements.
- Operate detector controllers, acquisition systems and other laboratory equipment, and develop scripts for control, automation and initial data inspection.
- Support the selection, procurement, installation and commissioning of the equipment required for detector testing.
- Coordinate installation and operation of the setup in a cleanroom, applying handling, cleanliness, ESD-protection, safety and traceability procedures.
- Document test conditions, configurations, environmental parameters, anomalies and acquired data completely and traceably.
- Prepare procedures, test plans, results reports and technical documentation for the internal team, consortium coordination and project reviews.
- Coordinate day-to-day detector-laboratory activities with the IEEC team and ARRAKIHS partners.
Participation requirements and selection criteria
The following criteria will be assessed during the selection process:
- Education: University degree in Physics, Astronomy, Engineering, Instrumentation, Electronics, Photonics or a related experimental discipline.
- Experience: Hands-on laboratory experience, preferably with scientific instrumentation, detectors, optical systems, electronics or experimental physics setups. Approximately 3–5 years of relevant experience will be particularly valued but is not a mandatory requirement
The following aspects will be considered desirable merits: (Total 20 points)
- Experience with visible scientific CMOS or CCD detectors: including operation, readout controllers and electro-optical characterisation; experience with Teledyne e2v or similar technologies will be particularly valued (5 points).
Experience with detector test benches: cryostats, vacuum systems, thermal control, cleanrooms, sensitive-hardware handling and ESD protection (4 points).
Experience in characterisation and calibrated illumination: dark-current, flat-field, gain, linearity, noise, quantum-efficiency or stability measurements, and the use of integrating spheres, monochromators or calibrated photodiodes (4 points).
Automation and data acquisition: Python, LabVIEW, Arduino or similar tools, commercial detector controllers and communication interfaces such as SpaceWire (3 points).
Space instrumentation and the ESA environment: participation in space missions or projects, test plans, requirements, verification, quality assurance, reviews and technical documentation (4 points).
Selection procedure
Initially, compliance with the eligibility requirements will be checked, and an initial selection of candidates will be made based on the documentation submitted.
Candidates who do not meet the requirements set out in the call will not proceed to the next stage, the merit assessment.
Merits will then be assessed, and candidates who do not achieve a minimum score of 10 points will not proceed to the next stage, the personal interview.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a personal interview to expand on the information provided in their CVs and assess aspects related to their professional competencies. If deemed necessary, candidates will be invited to take a written/oral test once the interview round has been completed.
Once the interviews have been completed, the selection committee will meet to assess the different stages of the selection process and issue a report setting out the selection outcome.
The evaluation committee for this procedure will consist of:
- a) Co-Principal Investigator of the ARRAKIHS PID2025 project.
- b) Co-Principal Investigator of the ARRAKIHS PID2025 project and Head of the Technical Area.
- c) Calibration Scientist for the ARRAKIHS PID2025 project.
Interested persons must have the originals of the certificates accrediting the training and work experience mentioned in the curriculum and must submit them if required.
The IEEC is committed to open, transparent and merit-based recruitment, as well as equal opportunities and non-discrimination. We encourage applications from international candidates and people with diverse career paths, including those who have experienced career breaks due to maternity, paternity, caring responsibilities or other personal circumstances, as well as applications from people with disabilities.
In compliance with the provisions of Article 59 of the TREBEP, concerning the reservation of no less than 7% of vacancies in public employment offers for persons with disabilities, the IEEC will apply this reservation to candidates who certify a disability of 33% or higher, provided that they are suitable for carrying out the functions of the position to be filled.
Contact and deadline
Interested persons who meet the established requirements can send cover letter and the personal curriculum in PDF format, signed as certification, with a brief description of the tasks carried out in the positions previously occupied, to the email address: RecursosHumans@ieec.cat indicating the reference "Surnames and Name – OF_IEEC_268_2026" in the subject line of the email.
The reception of applications ends on