Missions

IRAP, the Toulouse astrophysics laboratory, is recruiting an engineer with strong expertise in scientific computing to contribute to the LISA space project.
The software engineering expert will participate in the prototyping and development of software dedicated to the identification, collection and integration of external data. This scientific data is not collected directly by the mission, but will be used in ground processing chains and will enrich the LISA data. The software developed will be integrated into the scientific ground segment processing chains within the Distributed Data Processing Centre (DDPC).
The successful candidate will work closely with the LISA team at L2IT (Laboratoire des 2 Infinis – Toulouse) and with the CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) team. The successful candidate will be able to devote part of their time to scientific work.

Activities

• Participate in analysing researchers' needs and help draw up the project's functional specifications.
• Participate in designing the technical solution.
• Participate in defining the quality assurance and control plan for developments and ensure its implementation.
• Participate in software development to implement the technical solution.
• Test and verify the suitability of the technical solution for the identified needs.
• Take charge of producing technical documentation.
• Report on the progress of the work carried out; participate in and present your work at project meetings and to the entire LISA consortium.
• Monitor technological developments.
• Opportunity to participate in scientific projects related to LISA scientific cases.

Skills

• Experience in needs analysis, prototyping and evaluation of technical solutions,
• Knowledge of quality assurance implementation: methods, tools, standards and procedures,
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (C++, Python, Julia, etc.) and collaborative development tools,
• Pedagogical skills, support and advise
• Ability to communicate and report through the writing of technical reports
• Proficiency in technical English (level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
• Enjoy working in a team,
• Experience in research, analysis or use of data from astronomical observations (particularly in the field of gravitational waves), as well as experience of collaborative work — preferably in an international environment — would be appreciated.

Work Context

The duties of the position are part of scientific studies related to the future LISA space mission, a major European project involving many member states of the ESA (European Space Agency).
Adopted by the ESA in January 2024, the LISA mission aims to detect gravitational waves in a frequency range from milli-Hz to deci-Hz.
In this frequency range, LISA will open up a new window of observation, enabling the study of the merger of massive black holes, their role in the growth of supermassive black holes at the centre of large galaxies, and their co-evolution with their host galaxies.
LISA will also make it possible to study the demographics of certain galactic binaries, with implications for the history of star formation in our galaxy.
In addition, it will be able to detect certain systems of coalescing compact stellar objects ahead of LIGO/Virgo, offering the possibility of better constraining the physical parameters of these systems and, in some cases, obtaining more precise locations, allowing for improved electromagnetic tracking.
The successful candidate will work on prototyping and developing software dedicated to identifying, collecting and integrating the external data required for LISA's data analysis chains. They will assist the LISA teams while complying with the mission's quality constraints and the development schedule for its scientific ground segment (DDPC - Distributed Data Processing Centre). To this end, the person will work closely with the LISA teams at IRAP and L2IT, which are jointly responsible for the 'External Data' Working Package, and with the LISA team at the scientific ground segment of CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), which is responsible for the DDPC. IRAP, L2IT and CNES are located on the same scientific campus. It will also be possible for the successful candidate to devote part of his time (to be discussed) to contributing to scientific work related to the LISA mission, as long as the tasks mentioned above are carried out.
Collaboration with other DDPC stakeholders will also be expected.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

Travel within France and abroad is to be expected.