Associate Research Technician

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) enables a wide range of time-domain astronomy through large-scale astronomical data processing and the distribution of more than half a million transient alerts each night. The next phase of this work will integrate ZTF and upcoming Rubin Observatory data streams and develop tools that allow scientists to build, test, and manage complex alert filters through accessible graph-based interfaces. The Associate Research Technician will contribute to the development and testing of these tools, including integration with SkyPortal and public alert brokers. This is a one-year term appointment expected to start in October 2026.

Essential Job Duties

• Develop and enhance JavaScript/React user-interface tools for building complex astronomical alert filters using graph-based and drag-and-drop components.
• Develop and test Python and/or JavaScript software that converts graph-based filters into MongoDB and SQL queries.
• Develop and maintain Python integrations that connect relational databases with astronomical data streams and alert brokers through APIs or Kafka.
• Work with scientists to define requirements, troubleshoot moderately complex technical issues, test solutions, and improve system capabilities and user experience.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field and 2–4 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A relevant master’s degree may substitute for up to two years of experience.
• Experience using Git/GitHub and collaborative software-development workflows.
• Demonstrated programming experience in Python and JavaScript.
• Experience working with SQL and/or NoSQL databases, such as PostgreSQL or MongoDB.
• Experience developing and testing user-facing software, including UI/UX design principles.
• Experience with a modern front-end framework such as React.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience or demonstrated interest in astronomy, astronomical data systems, or scientific software development.
• Experience with continuous integration, unit testing, and software quality practices.
• Knowledge of APIs, microservices, Kafka, cloud/container technologies, or related data-integration tools.

Required Documents

• Resume.