Senior Airborne LiDAR Systems Engineer

Description

The company is an architecture, engineering, and geospatial firm with over 75 offices and projects around the world. It is certified as a Great Place to Work and is one of the fastest-growing firms in its field.

This senior role at the Kiln, Mississippi office leads technical and project work on complex airborne, terrestrial, drone, and bathymetric LiDAR programs.

You will set technical direction, guide multidisciplinary teams, mentor engineers, and own delivery, client relationships, quality, and new ideas.

Responsibilities

• Own technical and project leadership across several complex LiDAR programs, including scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, and deliverables.
• Define the technical vision and systems-engineering approach for airborne, drone, terrestrial, and bathymetric LiDAR solutions.
• Direct architecture, design reviews, integration, testing, calibration, and readiness for operations on advanced LiDAR platforms.
• Guide teams of software, mechanical, electrical, optical, and geospatial specialists toward reliable system performance.
• Set and oversee QA/QC standards for data acquisition, processing, and system-performance validation.
• Advise clients and internal stakeholders as a senior technical adviser, turning business needs into practical requirements and implementation plans.
• Coach engineers and technical staff, build their skills, and encourage collaboration, accountability, safety, and ongoing improvement.
• Contribute technical content to proposals, scopes of work, cost estimates, documentation, and system specifications.
• Spot emerging technologies, assess investment options, and push improvements in capability, efficiency, and competitiveness.
• Help shape strategic planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional decisions for the LiDAR practice.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, physics, geomatics, or a related field.
• Typically 10+ years of growing experience in LiDAR system development, LiDAR components, systems engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Track record of leading complex technical programs and multidisciplinary engineering teams from concept through deployment and ongoing support.
• Ability to mentor technical professionals, influence stakeholders across functions, resolve high-impact problems, and own results.
• Strong client-facing leadership: communicating technical strategy, managing expectations, and building trust with senior stakeholders.
• Advanced experience with system architecture and integration, covering optics, sensors, embedded systems, software, and platform interfaces.
• Deep knowledge of LiDAR data processing, system calibration, performance validation, and QA/QC standards.
• Executive-level communication, presentation, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
• Experience with airborne and bathymetric LiDAR systems.
• Familiarity with ASPRS standards and federal geospatial data requirements.
• Proficiency in tools such as Microsoft Project, Python, or C for system control and automation.
• PMP certification, or equivalent experience leading complex projects and programs, is preferred.

Conditions

Based on-site at the Kiln, Mississippi office.

Salary range: $101,000 - $151,800 USD. Base pay depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Relocation packages are available for preferred candidates.

Visa sponsorship is not offered for this position. Applicants must already have work authorization in the country where the job is located.

Equal-opportunity employer committed to full inclusion, recruiting and promoting without regard to protected status as required by law.

Benefits

• Freedom to Work program: set your own schedule and location, where appropriate.
• Principal program: the opportunity to become an owner of the firm.
• Flexible paid time off and vacation, taken when it suits you and your team.
• Career development: explore a wide range of learning and growth opportunities within and across industries.
• Health, life, vision, and dental insurance.
• Paid sick time, retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, pet insurance, identity protection, technology stipend, employee assistance program, and more.