Employment Opportunities with McDonald Observatory

We are beyond that moon that you are considering a career with us.

As a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, we offer employment opportunities at both the Observatory in West Texas and on the UT campus in Austin. Please be sure to check where jobs are located when reviewing open positions.

Looking to volunteer instead? Visit our Volunteer page to learn more and apply.

Jobs in Austin, Texas

Development Assistant (Part Time)

Assist with the gift processing for the McDonald Observatory and philanthropic support of the Astronomy Programs—reports to the Membership Relations and Event Planning Coordinator. For more information on this position and to apply, please see the full job posting.

Jobs in Fort Davis, Texas

Hobby-Eberly Telescope Resident Astronomer

The resident astronomer (RA) acts as the on-site scientific observing specialist for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) at McDonald Observatory. The RA employs various facility instruments and has the opportunity to conduct personal research while contributing to the scientific community at McDonald Observatory. For more information on this position and to apply, please see the full job posting.

Hobby-Eberly Telescope Operator

Operate the Hobby-Eberly Telescope facility, a 10+ meter class telescope, safely and efficiently under the guidance of the resident astronomer (RA) and visiting engineers to enable breakthrough discoveries in astrophysics. Most work will occur from sunset to sunrise at a Linux/Unix computer console. For more information on this position and to apply, please see the full job posting.

Maintenance Worker I

Provides grounds maintenance services for McDonald Observatory buildings, domes, and public spaces as assigned. Assists with the facilities’ custodial services, and setups and breakdowns for special events. Weekend and holiday work is required as needed to meet business operations. For more information on this position and to apply, please see the full job posting.

Maintenance Worker III

Performs work on water systems and provides advanced maintenance and repair tasks across one or more craft areas at McDonald Observatory, a large remote research facility. Will provide on-the-job training for water operator licenses. Works independently and supports journey-level craft workers. Routinely conducts preventive maintenance. For more information on this position and to apply, please see the full job posting.

Positions are security sensitive; conviction verification conducted on applicant selected.