Jennifer B. Jackson  NRAO/ ALMA/ FELO

ALMA Front End Local Oscillator Group Technical Specialist III

This is me in the Phase Noise lab, testing Warm Cartridge Assemblies  back to back.

About Me:

I’ve been working for NRAO since November of 2005.  I truly feel that I’m in the job that I always wanted.  I spent 8 years in the United States Air Force, doing satellite communications and then doing wideband when the career fields merged.  When I was stationed down at Holloman AFB, with a squadron that was a part of Space Command, we would deploy out into the desert for a week at a time.  We would go out many places, like Socorro and Ruidoso, and often we would pass the VLA on the way to our sites.  I always looked at the row of perfectly lined up dishes and knew that I wanted to work there someday.  I was interested, of course, in the SETI aspect, but moreso in being the kind of technician that is flexible and adaptable.  In any job I’ve ever held, I always wanted to be a “Go-to” person.  I always want to know enough about what I’m doing, that I can be a good teacher, a good reference, and a good worker.  I like knowing what is going on, being involved in not just doing the process, but creating and planning the process.  I’ve gone through many things to get here, but I’m here now and I love it!!

I work with a great team now and feel very lucky to have such great coworkers.  I feel that together, we can overcome any obstacle and produce a good quality product in a timely and efficient manner.  I spend my time split between the lab and my desk, every cartridge must go through a whole process, and it takes many steps...