Since its foundation, one of the objectives of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has been the design and construction of astrophysical instrumentation. To meet the increasing technical demands of instruments for large telescopes, the IAC has made significant investments in infrastructure and tools, which currently enable it to carry out the full development of an instrument—from the initial design phase to the final assembly of these complex systems, including the validation of their components.

The Instrumentation Division has extensive experience in the precision mechanics required for such instrumental developments. A key factor throughout this process is the manufacturing of mechanical components. To this end, the IAC has a Mechanical Workshop equipped with machinery suited to the needs of these projects. In addition to conventional chip-removal machines, it has several computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which are essential for producing high-precision components. The workshop is also equipped with several on-machine measurement tools and a metrology verification laboratory featuring several coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). In this way, the IAC manufactures components for ongoing instrument projects and verifies their compliance with design specifications.

With this equipment, the IAC offers a comprehensive service that meets the manufacturing needs of the instruments it is involved in. Moreover, it allows the IAC to support and lead future projects in the context of large telescope developments, as well as to collaborate on projects beyond the field of astronomy.

The activities to be carried out by the proposed technician will include the manufacturing of mechanical parts for ongoing instrumentation projects within the Instrumentation Division that have requested support from the Mechanical Workshop—mainly HARMONI, GTCAO LGS, and QUIJOTE, among others. The technician will also support the assembly, integration, and verification of some of these instruments. The tasks to be performed include:

• Manufacturing mechanical components using both conventional milling machines and lathes, as well as CNC lathes and machining centers, within the projects in which the IAC Instrumentation Division is involved.
• Providing support for the assembly, integration, and verification of instruments, some of which may require work at the Canary Islands Observatories or at partner institutions collaborating with the IAC on instrumentation developments.
• Assisting in the metrological control of components manufactured in the workshop.
• Participating in the maintenance of workshop machinery.