The Role
Designs, builds, tests, and supports production software for observatory operations, instrument integration, and scientific data pipelines. Owns software components, troubleshoots issues, participates in on-call and incident response, and improves system reliability, security, and automation. Collaborates with scientists, operations staff, and external partners while mentoring junior engineers and maintaining documentation, testing, release, and deployment practices.
Summary Generated by Built In
Join us as our newest Scientific Software Engineer II and build the software behind the stars!
Do you love writing code that matters? As a Scientific Software Engineer II, you'll design, build, and support the software that keeps an observatory running. That includes instrument integration, data pipelines, and day-to-day operations. You'll own your software components and work with limited supervision. You'll shape design decisions and make systems more reliable, secure, and automated. You'll also take part in on-call support, share your know-how with junior engineers, and work with a multidisciplinary team to deliver solutions that work in the real world.
What the Scientific Software Engineer II Does:
The Scientific Software Engineer II is a fully competent individual contributor. They independently design, build, test, and support software for observatory operations, instrument integration, and data pipelines. They work with limited supervision and own specific software components. They follow established standards for quality, security, and change control. They troubleshoot component-level issues, join on-call and incident response, and escalate complex problems. They also guide junior engineers and work with scientists, operations staff, and partners.
Do you love writing code that matters? As a Scientific Software Engineer II, you'll design, build, and support the software that keeps an observatory running. That includes instrument integration, data pipelines, and day-to-day operations. You'll own your software components and work with limited supervision. You'll shape design decisions and make systems more reliable, secure, and automated. You'll also take part in on-call support, share your know-how with junior engineers, and work with a multidisciplinary team to deliver solutions that work in the real world.
What the Scientific Software Engineer II Does:
The Scientific Software Engineer II is a fully competent individual contributor. They independently design, build, test, and support software for observatory operations, instrument integration, and data pipelines. They work with limited supervision and own specific software components. They follow established standards for quality, security, and change control. They troubleshoot component-level issues, join on-call and incident response, and escalate complex problems. They also guide junior engineers and work with scientists, operations staff, and partners.
Why Choose W. M. Keck Observatory:
- Competitive starting salary
- Generous benefits package, including 4 weeks of annual paid vacation
- A robust 8% 403(b) employer contribution (with a 4% employee contribution)
- Tuition assistance for dependent children grades K-12 attending private school on Hawai’i Island
- Comprehensive, employer provided health insurance
- We offer relocation support for candidates moving from outside the area.
- Be a part of a dedicated team working on the frontiers of astronomy.
Required Qualifications:
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Experience
- Three (3) years of demonstrated experience developing production-quality software applications using Python or comparable modern programming languages.
- Experience developing and maintaining software components that integrate with existing systems, data pipelines, or instrumentation environments.
- Working experience with version control systems, testing frameworks, and structured release or deployment practices.
- Experience working in Unix/Linux environments including shell scripting.
- Exposure to operational support, troubleshooting, or on-call environments.
Skills
- Solid understanding of software engineering fundamentals including modular design, testing, documentation, and maintainability.
- Ability to analyze complex technical problems and implement effective solutions.
- Ability to write clear technical documentation and operational procedures.
- Effective time management and ability to manage multiple priorities within defined scope.
Technical Competencies
- Proficiency in at least one primary programming language (e.g., Python, C, JavaScript) and familiarity with supporting tools and frameworks.
- Working knowledge of databases, APIs, and web-enabled applications.
- Familiarity with object-oriented programming principles and common design patterns.
- Exposure to scientific computing, data processing, or automation workflows.
- Ability to use development tools including IDEs, debugging tools, version control systems, and CI/CD pipelines.
Certificates and Licenses
- Valid driver’s license.
About
At the W. M. Keck Observatory, we approach our work with wonder about the mysteries of the universe and with deep respect and care for Maunakea – a mountain revered in Hawaiʻi and unlike any other in the world. For more than three decades, astronomers using Keck Observatory’s twin 10-meter telescopes have vastly expanded our understanding of the cosmos through astonishing findings about our solar system, exoplanets, supermassive black holes, the evolution of the universe, and more. We are dedicated to the values of service and stewardship, while advancing the frontiers of astronomy, sharing our discoveries, and inspiring the imagination of all.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, astronomy, physics, mathematics, engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent education and experience
- Three years of demonstrated experience developing production-quality software applications using Python or comparable modern programming languages
- Experience developing and maintaining software components integrated with existing systems, data pipelines, or instrumentation environments
- Experience with version control systems, testing frameworks, and structured release or deployment practices
- Experience working in Unix/Linux environments, including shell scripting
- Exposure to operational support, troubleshooting, or on-call environments
- Understanding of modular design, testing, documentation, and software maintainability
- Ability to analyze complex technical problems and implement effective solutions
- Ability to write clear technical documentation and operational procedures
- Ability to manage time and multiple priorities within a defined scope
- Proficiency in at least one primary programming language, such as Python, C, or JavaScript
- Working knowledge of databases, APIs, and web-enabled applications
- Familiarity with object-oriented programming principles and common design patterns
- Exposure to scientific computing, data processing, or automation workflows
- Ability to use IDEs, debugging tools, version control systems, and CI/CD pipelines
- Valid driver’s license
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The Company
What We Do
The W. M. Keck Observatory telescopes are among the most scientifically productive on Earth. The two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Maunakea on the Island of Hawaiʻi feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectrometers, and world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics systems. Keck Observatory is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. We wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the Native Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain
