General Position Description: detector sub-system software coordinator

Each detector sub-system must designate or identify a Software sub-system Coordinator who then becomes the main contact person for developing and maintaining the software written to bring the data for that sub-system to a Physics usable form and at a level of accuracy and expectations required for carrying the STAR Physics program involving the use of that particular sub-system. Additional manpower for the development of the Software may be allocated within the sub-system's group or requested by the sub-system software coordinator as additional manpower (aka service/community task).

As all realizes that there is no Physics without data reduction (via code/software), the Software coordinator is therefore a corner stone of sub-system's group. He/she has for main responsibilities:

1. The development and maintenance of the data acquisition reader for the offline chain, the detector geometry in the appropriate framework (Geant, reconstruction), the calibration database layout and content, at least one response simulator suitable for the simulation and embedding chains as well as responsible for the tracking specific software if applicable.
2. To disseminate in the collaboration the information related to the sub-system's of interest especially how to use the data in Physics studies: this may be accomplished via documentation, development of analysis API, regular updates and presentations at collaboration meetings or when asked by the S&C leader for a progress and/or readiness status report made regularly and pro-actively at the week S&C meeting
3. Similarly, to pro-actively bring forward to the S&C leader issues and show stoppers pertaining to the sub-system - examples span from delays in calibration procedures, resource needs or issues with the data quality. Case based presentation a the S&C meeting are highly encouraged and welcomed
4. To work in close relation to the database, reconstruction, simulation and calibration leader/coordinator when appropriate
5. To ensure compliance of his/her code with the STAR coding standard. Each new code is expected to be brought forward to a peer-review process where the code's standards, functionalities, adequacy of the documentation will be judged by peer developers.
6. Participate to the development of innovative projects aimed to enhance the Physics capabilities of the experiment as a whole. This may include participation to the development or support for new tracking methods, better framework, database evolution etc …

In order to bring the sub-system data closer to readiness, he/she

• Has the authority to request highly prioritized productions within the scope of efficiency, alignment or calibration studies, or any study going toward the convergence, consolidation or strengthening of the Physics results. The software sub-system coordinator designated a point of contact handling calibration production requests (in such case, the POC should be clearly specified).

• May request allocation of resources necessary to accomplish the outlined above tasks.

• Has the ultimate and final authority to organize the work at hand within his/her sub-system realm. For example, partitioning of calibration, simulation and other tasks as necessary and depending on available manpower.

• Is, unless indicated otherwise, the point of contact for modification of any code pertaining to the sub-system (others proposing modifications must inform the software sub-system coordinator).

• Is expected to communicate to the S&C leader concerns and issues which may be or become obstacles in achieving the above mission.

Written by Jerome Lauret, S&C Leader 2003