Job Description and Purpose

The Radio Astronomy Laboratory (RAL) and the Center for Astronomical Signal Processing and Engineering Research (CASPER) group at the Berkeley Wireless Research Center (BWRC) seek a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Engineer to work with a team building high performance correlators, beamformers and spectrometers for radio telescopes to address fundamental questions in astronomy and to search for extraterrestial intelligence (SETI). Telescopes currently under construction include the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), a 42-antenna array run by RAL and the SETI Institute, the CARMA array, a millimeter wavelength telescope, and the PAPER array for studying the early Universe when the first stars formed. These telescopes observe over a frequency range of 100 MHz to 270 GHz, but have a common digital data processing architecture based on high performance FPGA devices, and are prototypes for international telescopes like the Square Kilometer Array which have peta-op data processing requirements.

The applicant will work with the RAL and CASPER digital groups to design, develop and program multipurpose FPGA-based computing platforms for radio telescope applications. For example, our current "BEE2" board, which is used in wide range of radio astronomy and high performance computer applications, handles 250 billion CMAC/s (complex multiply-add per sec) with memory bandwidth 12 GB/s and 360 Gb/s I/O bandwidth.

The programming model uses a system-generation library with hardware abstractions that allow the application programmer to focus on the application rather than the details of the hardware. The system design and programming model together allow the multi-purpose application software to survive by using a technology-independent design flow.

Other applications include RFI mitigation and adaptive optics for large antennas and interferometer arrays. Digital images can be made in close to real time at the telescope. The phase across the wavefront can be digitally adjusted to correct for atmospheric turbulence or RFI to provide a programmable "digital lens" for astronomy and potentially other applications.

Position Overview.

The incumbent is expected to produce hardware and software for specific DSP applications with minimal supervision. The incumbent will work closely with engineers, technicians, programmers, faculty and students to ensure that new concepts and ideas for radio telescopes are realized. This includes breaking problems into workable, efficient hardware and software solutions.

Duties and Responsibilities.

* Program custom hardware that reduces science data.
* Create and build DSP systems for specific applications.
* Collaborate with reseachers, programmers and engineers at other institutions.
* Design and debug software for DSP and general purpose computing hardware.
* Install and maintain hardware and software systems on radio telescopes.
* Document and maintain hardware, software and tool flow.
* Train users to use hardware, software and tool flow.
* Evaluate cost/benefit of new hardware and software solutions to DSP problems.

Required Qualifications.

* Proficient at digital and FPGA design.
* Proficient in VHDL or Verilog, C/C++, and Linux.
* Experience in working with hardware/software interfaces.
* Produce clear code and documentation.
* Experience with code management systems such as CVS.
* Proficient in using test equipment

Desired Qualifications.

* Assist with computer system maintenance
* Assist with writing material for inclusion in grant proposals.
* Experience with University research and development environment.
* Experience with Xilinx System Generator (XSG)
* Knowledge of core DSP algorithms: FIR, FFT, etc
* Knowledge of JAVA, PYTHON.
* Knowledge of x86 computer systems and PCI bus interface.
* Experience with Matlab/Simulink to generate DSP algorithms that map into FPGA hardware.

for more info contact Melvyn Wright wright@astro.berkeley.edu