Chief Engineer

Full time Regular Employment at W. M. Keck Observatory

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Summary

Do you enjoy providing technical leadership to highly talented technical teams that tackle interesting engineering and technical operations challenges in a highly mission-focused setting? Do you have a knack for bringing diverse talents from different engineering and operations disciplines together to operate and improve complex systems? If so, take the time to apply for our Chief Engineer role at W. M. Keck Observatory! The priorities of a Chief Engineer:

As a member of the senior leadership team at W. M. Keck Observatory, the Chief Engineer plays a key role in collaboratively leading the implementation of the organization’s strategic plan. The Chief Engineer oversees summit operations and multiple engineering disciplines, focusing their efforts on what is most mission-critical, now and into the future. The Chief Engineer excels at understanding the observatory at a system-level and determines the key opportunities and risks for the observatory, creating plans to address them, and focusing teams on the highest priorities with a clear sense of purpose.

The Chief Engineer sets the tone for technical excellence, teamwork, innovation, learning, and growth to build and sustain technical expertise at the observatory. This requires not only technical knowledge, but the organizational leadership ability to build strong teams aligned with the mission, vision, values, and culture of the observatory.

Strong experience in at least one engineering discipline, knowledge of complex systems across multiple engineering disciplines, technical/scientific operations (not just design and development), management, and organizational leadership is the ideal background for the successful candidate. Astronomical observatory or similar experience is not required but preferred.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.

Experience

• Ten years of increasing responsibility in managing and leading a technology-based operation.
• Five (5) years at a senior or executive level in an engineering or scientific organization.
• Management of teams and projects. Supervisory experience.
• Creating and managing budgets at the >$5M level.

Skills

• Capacity to develop strategies aligned with organizational goals and implement complex, multi-faceted plans and budgets.
• Extensive engineering knowledge of multi-disciplinary systems (e.g., involving aspects of mechanical, electrical, software, optics) and their operations.
• The ability to make complex technical tradeoffs determines and clearly conveys WMKO’s technical priorities.
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks, utilizing risk management frameworks.

Technical Competency

• Experience in, and an understanding of, a variety of engineering disciplines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at an astronomical observatory or similar facility.
• Experience in the operation of a technologically complex 24/7 facility.
• Advanced degree in engineering or related science field.
• Experience in and commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce.

Additional Information

Why Choose W. M. Keck Observatory:

• Competitive starting salary ranging from $179,550 to $236,624.
• 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 an independent school on Hawai’i island.
• Comprehensive, employer provided health insurance.
• Be a part of a dedicated team working on the frontiers of astronomy.

About W. M. Keck Observatory

The W. M. Keck Observatory operates two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes on the summit of Maunakea on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. The twin telescopes feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectroscopy and a world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics system which cancels out much of the interference caused by Earth’s turbulent atmosphere. The Observatory is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a scientific partnership of the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and NASA.