CSIRO Engineering Fellowship in Superfast, Wide-field Radio Cameras for Aperture Arrays

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The opportunity

• Great opportunity for an early career researcher with a PhD or engineering degree plus Masters in electrical engineering, computer science/engineering, astrophysics/physics, mathematics or software engineering
• Directly support the upcoming Low-frequency Australian Megametre Baseline Demonstrator Array (LAMBDA) project
• Work with co-located engineers and astronomers at CSIRO Space & Astronomy in this 3-year role

CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Engineering Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate or masters and have less than three years relevant research experience.  These Fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system.

The CERC Fellow will develop an FPGA prototype of a groundbreaking all-sky radio camera for large aperture arrays that will occupy the landscape of modern radio astronomy. This innovative radio camera prototype will generate high-speed (over 1000 FPS) real-time images while consuming less than 5% of the energy of current methods. It addresses computational and bandwidth challenges, making it energy-efficient and cost-effective for discovering explosive and transient astrophysical phenomena. This high-speed, all-sky radio camera will be the first of its kind, revolutionizing our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and high-energy phenomena in the universe. 
 

This project will directly support the upcoming Low-frequency Australian Megametre Baseline Demonstrator Array (LAMBDA) project, a CSIRO Space & Astronomy initiative, that aims to extend Square Kilometre Array (SKA-low) by constructing SKA-low-like stations at CSIRO sites like Parkes and Narrabri. The prototype, designed for dense, large-N arrays, will enhance LAMBDA’s capabilities and amplify the impact potential of SKA-low. Compared to existing alternative, the FPGA technology will be leveraged to achieve a larger processing and memory bandwidth when working with large aperture arrays. Beyond LAMBDA, the project will be a pathfinder for fast, all-sky imaging with future mid-frequency aperture arrays consisting of thousands to tens of thousands of antennas being conceived by CSIRO Space & Astronomy and several international groups for monitoring the sky for transient phenomena at radio wavelengths.

The CERC Fellow will work in close collaboration with the principal investigator and radio astronomer, Dr. Nithyanandan Thyagarajan, and co-principal investigator and digital hardware engineering expert, Dr. David Humphrey, at CSIRO Space & Astronomy.

Your duties will include:

• Developing the FPGA-based all-sky, high frame rate radio camera prototype for large aperture arrays, with initial focus on existing or imminent arrays like LAMBDA and SKA-low precursors.
• Benchmarking and optimising the performance of the prototype for real deployment.
• Commissioning the deployment and analysing initial science data.
• Extending the prototype development to future large arrays for monitoring transient phenomena.
• Exploring applications on other aperture array systems outside astronomy that require ultrafast, wide field-of-view imaging such as space situational awareness, multi-satellite communication, etc. 

Location: Marsfield, NSW or Kensington, WA

Salary: AU$96k - AU$105k plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Specified term of 3 years

Reference: 97519

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) OR hold an engineering degree plus a Master of Science (MSc) or Master of Engineering (MEng) qualifications (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a masters) plus equivalent levels of original and significant contributions to research and development to that expected of someone of a new PhD graduate. The doctorate or masters must be in a relevant discipline area, such as Electrical engineering, Computer Science/engineering, Astrophysics/Physics, Mathematics, Software Engineering, or similar. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of relevant research experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in implementation of real-time Signal Processing algorithms. 
• Demonstrated expertise in high-level programming language(s) such as Python or similar.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including the presentation of research outcomes at national and international conferences.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to all candidates - Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents or international candidates (both offshore and onshore) who either hold, or will be able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term (visa sponsorship and relocation assistance may be provided to the successful candidate if required).

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Flexible working arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

Diversity and inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to apply

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

Applications close

9 September 2024, 11:00pm AEST