• FTN and CSOC Development Support
  Contractor shall provide technical advice, assistance, and support for the development of the FTN and CSOC. These services will result in a FTN and CSOC that is capable of automated and remote observational operations. Services required include:
  • Installing, setting up, and calibrating FTN equipment such as domes, optical tube assemblies, telescope mounts, imaging and video cameras, computer and network devices, power supplies;
    • Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment that include equipment and software from AstroHaven, Software Bisque, Diffraction Limited, PlaneWave Instruments, Officina Stellare, and Atik Cameras.
    • IT equipment includes Cisco routers/switches, TrippLite uninterruptable power supplies, Digital-Loggers web power switches, Advantech reuggedized-fanless computers, etc.
  • Testing and troubleshooting of the FTN/CSOC systems;
    • Administration of Windows and CentOS/Linux based operating systems and servers.
    • Troubleshooting USB, USB hubs, and serial port connections.
    • Troubleshooting power connections and configurations for IT equipment.
  • Assisting in the development of automation of the FTN/CSOC systems to include scripting of the telescope via application programming interfaces, developing and testingof CSOC web services;
    • Collaborate source code using a GIT repository and Jenkins as the continuous delivery environment.
    • Assisting in web-based application development using Netbeans IDE, Java, Javascript, Tomcat 10, CSS3, PrimeFaces/JavaServer Faces technology , and MySQL database.
    • Familiarity of both XML and JSON based RESTful web services.
    • Assisting in telescope automation utilizing Visual Studio, C#, Python, and Java
  • Assisting in the network activities linking the FTN with the CSOC;
    • Troubleshooting SSH, VPN, HTTPS connectivity issues.
    • Troubleshooting and setting up observatory local area networks using Cisco equipment.
    • Linking remote observatory servers to the CSOC server located at the USAF academy.

• Programmatic Support
  Contractor shall provide project management support for the FTN and CSOC development.
  Services required include:
  • Corresponding and coordinating with collaborators and USAFA personnel via emails, telephone, virtual teleconferences (e.g., MS Teams, Zoom, etc.), or in person on matters pertaining to the FTN and CSOC
  • Attending weekly meetings for approximately one hour in length at USAFA or within the local area as necessary or via teleconference
  • Assisting in drafting program documents and reports (e.g. procedures, MOAs for networking agreements, test plans, experiment plans, presentations and publications,
    etc.)

Minimum Requirements and Preferred Qualifications:

• Programmatic and Technical Support
  • Experience. Minimum 3 years’ experience:
    • Working with telescopes, web services, and network systems that enable automated
      telescope operations.
    • Working on robotic telescopes or any experience working with the Falcon
      Telescope Network.
  • Education. Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any of the following fields: physics, astronomy, computer science, or engineering.
• Common Minimum Contractor Skills/Qualifications.
  Contractor personnel shall have the following minimum qualifications:
  • Ability to work in the high operations tempo of a quasi-university environment founded
    on military standards.
  • Ability to obtain CompTIA Security+ to administer IT systems for the program.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe applications.