Real Time Data Acquistion Software Developer

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States

Updated: about 1 month ago
Location: Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 08 Apr 2024

Posting Information
Posting Information


Department Physics and Astronomy-319000
Career Area Research Professionals
Posting Open Date 02/09/2024
Application Deadline 04/08/2024
Open Until Filled No
Position Type Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
Working Title Real Time Data Acquistion Software Developer
Appointment Type EHRA Non-Faculty
Position Number 01002701
Vacancy ID NF0007792
Full Time/Part Time Full-Time Permanent
FTE 1
Hours per week 40
Position Location North Carolina, US
Hiring Range Dependent on qualifications and experience
Proposed Start Date 03/18/2024

Position Information


Be a Tar Heel!
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities . Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.
One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.
University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
The mission of the Department of Physics & Astronomy is providing instruction of the highest quality in physics and astronomy to undergraduate and graduate students at UNC-CH. Training in physics is fundamental among the natural sciences because it provides understanding of the forces governing the structure of matter, from subatomic particles to the large-scale structure of the universe.
Our departmental instructional mission spans all segments of the student community. Over 60% of all college graduates from UNC-CH have taken a course in our department. Among them: undergraduate liberal arts majors who should master the power of quantitative reasoning; undergraduates seeking a degree in another of the natural sciences, who need physics as a foundation for their advanced scientific training; the small number of undergraduates who major in physics, to whom we provide broad and rigorous training. Our graduate education and research advances frontiers of knowledge at the two extremes of space and time, from the very small) the realm of particle physics) to the very large (the realm of astronomy, while expanding the boundaries of knowledge in the many subfields spanning length scales between. Forefront physics and astronomy research requires access to well-equipped laboratories and extensive computing capabilities; it also must be supported by comprehensive and accessible library collections. Again, in research at this advanced level, the bridging aspect of physics provides basic interdisciplinary insight for many other sciences.
The department is composed of 32 Tenure/Tenure Track faculty and 24 fixed-term faculty. The department currently has 83 graduate students and 9 post-docs to assist in our teaching mission. In addition, the department includes 5 EHRA Non-Faculty employees who support the research mission of our faculty and students. With over 212 undergraduate majors, we are among the largest in the College of Arts and Sciences. We enroll 3525 students in classes each year.
Within the faculty ranks, there is a Departmental Chairman, 4 Associate Chairs that includes the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies. The department is supported by an administrative staff of 16 employees ranging from budget planning and management for the numerous research grants held by faculty in the department to maintaining courses and student records.
Position Summary
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics and Astronomy Department has an immediate opening for a Research Scientist Real-Time Data Acquisition Developer in Experimental Nuclear and Astroparticle Physics (ENAP). Our group develops and maintains a custom Objective C based Object-oriented Real-time Control and Acquisition (ORCA) (http://orca.physics.unc.edu/) application. The ORCA system is used worldwide in a number of physics experiments including LEGEND-200, the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, KATRIN, HALO, and SNO+. The ENAP group’s primary research activities are searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge as part of the LEGEND Collaboration and involvement in the KATRIN tritium beta-decay neutrino mass experiment (https://enap.physics.unc.edu/research/). 
The UNC group is an integral part of the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) (http://www.tunl.duke.edu/), a Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Physics Center of Excellence, which provides substantial technical and scientific resources related to our activities. We are also affiliated with the Institute for Cosmology, Subatomic Matter, and Symmetries (CoSMS) (https://cosms.unc.edu/) that offers a stimulating environment for discussions on a broad range of fundamental physics and astronomy topics.
We are looking for a programmer to maintain and lead the development of complex data acquisition codes while contributing to related aspects including acquiring data, analyzing data, database support, and contributing to scientific reports.
This position provides the opportunity to work closely with a strong group of graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, our scientific and engineering staff, as well as our TUNL, CoSMS, and collaboration colleagues.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Basic Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) with real-time data acquisition software engineering experience OR PhD Degree in Physics or Engineering with real-time data acquisition software engineering experience, from an accredited university
- 3+ years of experience with object-oriented coding in Objective C, C++, and/or Python. 
- 2+ years of experience with real-time data acquisition software / hardware development.
- 2+ years of experience with interfacing to databases, such as InFluxDB, CouchDB, MongoDB, MySQL, or equivalent.
- 2+ years of experience with interfacing and networks
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience with high-speed real-time data acquisition programming to control hardware and software as used in nuclear, particle, or astrophysics experiments.
- Experience with slow-control real-time data acquisition hardware and software.
- Knowledge of software development processes throughout the entire lifecycle, including use case development, requirements analysis, object oriented analysis & design, implementation and software verification.
- Real-time DAQ development on Apple Mac OSX
- Web design experience with JavaScript/Grafana or equivalent, with near-time displays of data.
- Experience with analysis of data from nuclear, particle, or astrophysics experiments.
- Excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Special Physical/Mental Requirements
Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.
Special Instructions
Quick Link https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/274173

Posting Contact Information


Department Contact Name and Title John Wilkerson, Distinguished Professor
Department Contact Telephone or Email [email protected]
Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to [email protected]
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

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