Instrumentation Engineer – Position in IFAE

Position

Instrumentation Engineer – IFAE – Reference: IFAE2026/24_ATHENA_Engineer

About IFAE

The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Its main objective is to carry out research and contribute to the development of high‑energy physics from theoretical, experimental, and technological perspectives.

About ATHENA and ARRAKIHS (IFAE)

The group is active in two major European space and technology initiatives. Within the ATHENA CHIPS JU EU project, we lead the characterisation of novel Very‑Long‑Wave Infrared (VLWIR) detectors, contributing to next‑generation sensing technologies. In parallel, as part of the ARRAKIHS ESA mission, we are responsible for the characterisation and calibration of Near‑Infrared (NIR) H2RG detector arrays, ensuring the scientific performance and readiness of the mission’s focal plane instrumentation.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will develop, design, and maintain cryogenic and readout setups for characterising the H2RG engineering and flight‑model detectors for the ARRAKIHS ESA mission and VLWIR detectors for the ATHENA EU CHIPS JU project. The person may also contribute to the development and commissioning of setups for other projects at IFAE.

Required Skills and Evaluation Criteria

• Assembly, integration, and verification of astronomical or scientific optical instrumentation
• Optical and opto‑mechanical design, simulation, alignment, integration, and analysis
• Readout electronics standard systems (ARC, ESO‑NGC, H2RG readout system, etc.)
• Design, simulation, and integration of mechanisms in cryo‑vacuum conditions
• Vacuum and cryogenics systems
• Digital imaging processing algorithms, image noise, and statistics
• Design, simulation, and implementation of control systems
• System engineering skills to understand the global picture and the details of complex systems, their interfaces, and performance
• Project management skills
• Experience in characterisation of IR detectors for space applications
• Proficiency in spoken and written English

Evaluation criteria and weighting:

• Qualifications and academic record – 20 points
• Experience in the above requirements – 70 points
• Motivation – 10 points

Offered Contract

• Full‑time contract (40 hours/week)
• Teleworking opportunities and a flexible schedule
• Temporal contract until 31/08/2027 under Article 23‑bis of the Spanish Act 14/2011
• Six‑month trial period
• Position classified as “Engineer” within IFAE professional categories
• Salary proportional to experience and qualifications within the category range
• Work with experimental science, travel to scientific infrastructures, and opportunities for personal growth and learning
• Selected candidate expected to join as soon as possible

Equal Opportunity Statement

IFAE is committed to equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion. Women are especially encouraged to apply. IFAE also supports the integration of people with disabilities and underrepresented groups, reserving seven percent of places for people with disabilities as specified in article 59 of the EBEP.

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