Remote Sensing Engineer
Riverside Research Institute
Summary
We are seeking a skilled Remote Sensing Engineer to support the development, analysis, and exploitation of remote sensing data for national security, defense, and geospatial intelligence missions. The ideal candidate has experience working with geospatial datasets, remote sensing technologies, and automation tools, and is comfortable collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex technical challenges.
Job description
Position Overview
We are seeking a skilled Remote Sensing Engineer to support the development, analysis, and exploitation of remote sensing data for national security, defense, and geospatial intelligence missions. The ideal candidate has experience working with geospatial datasets, remote sensing technologies, and automation tools, and is comfortable collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex technical challenges.
An active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance is required for this position.
This position can be located in Fairfax or Springfield, VA or Beavercreek, OH.
Responsibilities
- Process, analyze, and interpret satellite, airborne, and other remotely sensed imagery.
- Develop and maintain geospatial analysis workflows and automated processing pipelines.
- Design and implement Python-based tools to support imagery processing, feature extraction, and geospatial analysis.
- Perform image classification, object detection, change detection, and spatial analysis using commercial and open-source tools.
- Support sensor calibration, validation, and quality assurance activities.
- Work closely with engineers, data scientists, and intelligence analysts to develop mission-focused solutions.
- Prepare technical documentation, reports, and presentations for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Evaluate emerging remote sensing technologies and recommend improvements to existing workflows.
- Contribute to project planning, technical discussions, and continuous process improvement initiatives.
Required Qualifications
- Active TS/SCI security clearance (required).
- Bachelor's degree or 8 years of experience in Remote Sensing, Geospatial Science, Geography, GIS, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Environmental Science, or a related technical discipline preferred. Applicable experience will be considered in lieu of degree.
- Experience processing and analyzing satellite, aerial, or other remotely sensed imagery.
- Proficiency with remote sensing and GIS software such as ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, ENVI, ERDAS Imagine, or similar platforms.
- Strong Python programming skills for geospatial analysis and workflow automation.
- Experience with geospatial libraries such as GDAL, Rasterio, GeoPandas, Shapely, or OpenCV.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a remote, collaborative environment.
- Looking for candidates with experience in one or more of the following: RF, Elevation/Terrain, Non-Earth Imaging (NEI), SAR, Infrared: SWIR, MWIR, thermal, Hyperspectral (HSI), LiDAR and 3D, Airborne UAS, Non-imagery: AIS, Adtec, ADS-B, and open-source, Photogrammetry, Full Motion Video (FMV).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting DoD, NGA, NRO, or Intelligence Community programs.
- Experience with SAR, LiDAR, hyperspectral, multispectral, or thermal imagery.
- Familiarity with cloud-based geospatial processing environments such as AWS or Azure.
- Experience with machine learning or computer vision techniques applied to geospatial imagery.
- Knowledge of containerization technologies such as Docker and modern software development practices.
- Experience with Git and collaborative software development workflows.
- Additional preferred experience in the following areas is preferred: Motion Target Indicator (MTI), EO, Object Detection, Change Detection, Maritime Domain Analysis.
Requirements
- Active TS/SCI security clearance
- Bachelor's degree or 8 years of experience in Remote Sensing, Geospatial Science, Geography, GIS, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Environmental Science, or a related technical discipline
- Experience processing and analyzing satellite, aerial, or other remotely sensed imagery
- Proficiency with remote sensing and GIS software such as ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, ENVI, ERDAS Imagine, or similar platforms
- Strong Python programming skills for geospatial analysis and workflow automation
- Experience with geospatial libraries such as GDAL, Rasterio, GeoPandas, Shapely, or OpenCV
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a remote, collaborative environment
- Experience in one or more of the following: RF, Elevation/Terrain, Non-Earth Imaging (NEI), SAR, Infrared: SWIR, MWIR, thermal, Hyperspectral (HSI), LiDAR and 3D, Airborne UAS, Non-imagery: AIS, Adtec, ADS-B, and open-source, Photogrammetry, Full Motion Video (FMV)
Benefits
- Comprehensive compensation and benefit packages
Company overview
Riverside Research Institute is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1967 and chartered to advance scientific research for the benefit of the U.S. government and public interest. Operating as a national security nonprofit, the institute specializes in delivering innovative solutions for the defense and intelligence communities' most challenging problems. Through its open innovation concept, Riverside Research conducts multidisciplinary research and development across diverse technological domains including artificial intelligence, machine learning, optics and photonics, electromagnetics, plasma physics, radio frequency systems, and biomedical engineering. The organization focuses on moving science from the laboratory to the field by building teams of recognized experts who deliver high-value solutions and services to government customers. With a strong emphasis on national security, Riverside Research provides technical, engineering, and advisory support to agencies such as the Department of Defense, Air Force Research Laboratory, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and other federal organizations. The institute's work spans critical areas including cybersecurity, sensor technologies, trusted systems, modeling and simulation, and advanced radar development, positioning it as a key partner in advancing U.S. technological capabilities for defense and intelligence applications.