The JIVE Council is seeking the next Director of JIVE. The position is initially for five years, with possible renewal. Deadline for application is 31 July 2022 23:59 UTC.

JIVE (founded in 1994, originally as legal entity in the Netherlands) is a European Research Infrastructure Consortium recently established by the EC to support the European VLBI Network (EVN). JIVE currently has seven member countries (UK, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, Latvia, Italy) and bilateral arrangements with research bodies in Germany, South Africa and China.

JIVE’s core mission is to promote and implement the use of VLBI and other radio astronomy techniques, including: the correlation and archiving of EVN data; supporting EVN users at all stages of the process; developing hardware, software and algorithms for EVN in particular and radio astronomy in general; ensuring the maximum scientific output of the EVN. The EVN now incorporates more than 20 of the world’s largest radio telescopes in Europe, Russia, China, South Africa, US and S. Korea into a network which provides milliarcsecond resolution, micro- Jansky sensitivity and a broad wavelength range and makes important contributions to a wide range of astrophysical research.

JIVE is engaged in providing technological support to new stations aspiring to join the EVN, thus expanding its performances, and is actively supporting the developments of VLBI capabilities into the SKA.

In addition to its strong operational focus, JIVE has actively pursued and led a number of (externally funded) large-scale technical development projects for radio astronomy, including novel hardware and software, often in collaboration with other European radio institutes. The JUMPING JIVE project, proposed and led by JIVE (a 4-yr, €3m EC-funded project) has successfully ended in 2021 with a number of major achievements, among which are the publication of the scientific roadmap for the EVN in the next decade, now serving as a guide to defining the current and future technological and operational advances of the array, and the operational model for the inclusion of the SKA in global VLBI operations. JIVE is now leading the proposal RADIOBLOCKS, submitted to the EC in April 2022 in response to the HORIZON-INFRA-2022-TECH-01 call.

JIVE is committed to creating an inclusive, accessible, supportive environment that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of scientific success. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

JIVE is hosted in Dwingeloo (the Netherlands) by ASTRON, which operates LOFAR and the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope and is involved in a wide range of R&D and radio astronomy research. There is a lively scientific and technical community in Dwingeloo which also has close interactions with university astronomers in the Netherlands.

The Director:

• Reports and is accountable to the JIVE Council.
• Is responsible for pursuing and focusing the organization on the primary goals of JIVE, focusing on the operations of the correlator facility.
• Is responsible for identifying and securing development opportunities and funding.
• Is responsible for all aspects of the management of JIVE, ensuring the operation of an effective organization to achieve the prime goals of JIVE.
• Is responsible for the coordination of personnel, research, development and material management.
• Is responsible for cultivating an inclusive and equitable work environment and the retention, recruitment and development of high-quality staff.
• Is responsible for the preparation of policy documents, the multi-year plan, the budget and annual report.
• Communicates the directions of the JIVE Council to all JIVE employees and the ASTRON Management.
• Is responsible for the science projects and scientific activity within JIVE.
• Is responsible for policy within the framework set by the JIVE Council, the EVN Consortium and by the hosting research council, NWO.

Requirement for the position:

• Strong motivation in ensuring that the JIVE core mission is continued and enhanced
• An internationally recognized profile of academic achievement in astrophysics
• Experience in international scientific astronomical research projects
• Extensive managerial experience in scientific research environment
• Experience with personnel management, project management and project preparation Experience with preparing for and developing policy planning
• An innovative and motivated approach to, and experience with seeking and preparing for funding opportunities, especially at European and international levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication in English
• A motivated leader with the ability to think strategically, to build strong relationships with colleagues and peers and to work effectively with national, European and international decision makers in science, government and industry.
• Experience in developing initiatives to improve inclusion, diversity and equity and in creating successful teams of personnel.

Information on JIVE, the EVN Consortium and ASTRON can be found at: http://www.jive.eu, http://www.evlbi.org, http://www.astron.nl.

The Director will formally be an employee of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The position is available for five years in the first instance and may be renewed by the JIVE Council. The JIVE Council is committed to increasing staff diversity, and we are especially interested in applications from women and other traditionally under- represented groups.

Please submit the following documents when applying:

• a letter of application outlining relevant experience for the role and the motivation for the position
• a CV including significant accomplishments, e.g. leadership of major programs and related endeavours, scientific interests and grant track record
• names of at least three professional referees, at least one of whom must be your current employer
• a short personal scientific research plan
• a brief statement (approximately 1 page) outlining future goals and directions for JIVE.

All application materials can be sent to orsel@astron.nl or by letter mail to the HR department of ASTRON/JIVE, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo, The Netherlands. Applications should be received by the deadline: 31 July 2022 23:59 UTC.

Further information can be obtained from the JIVE Council Chairperson, Dr. Tiziana Venturi (tiziana.venturi@inaf.it, +39 051 6399370)

Additional information

The European VLBI Network (EVN) is an interferometric array of radio telescopes spread throughout Europe, Asia, South Africa and the Americas that conducts unique, high-resolution, radio astronomical observations of cosmic radio sources. Established in 1980, the EVN has grown into the most sensitive VLBI array in the world, including over 20 individual telescopes, among them some of the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescopes. The EVN is composed of 13 Full Member Institutes and 5 Associated Member Institutes.

The Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC (JIVE) has as its primary mission to operate and develop the EVN data processor, a powerful supercomputer that combines the signals from radio telescopes located across the planet. Founded in 1993, JIVE is since 2015 a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) with seven member countries: France, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain and Sweden; additional support is received from partner institutes in China, Germany and South Africa. JIVE is hosted at the offices of the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) in the Netherlands.

Contact

Tiziana Venturi
JIVE Council Chairperson
tiziana.venturi@inaf.it