Senior Algorithm Engineer II (EO/IR Image Analysis)

Description

The company builds complete rockets, spacecraft and space hardware, along with the subsystems that go into them, such as solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems and radios.

The Space Systems division has supported more than 1,700 missions, from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security and defense work, including spacecraft and components for Moon and Mars missions and work with NASA, the Space Development Agency and the U.S. Space Force.

The optical systems group, based in Tucson, AZ, builds space domain awareness and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensing for Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers. It draws on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared sensor work.

This role develops, validates and deploys algorithms for image processing, object detection and tracking on EO/IR space payloads.

The team works under pressure to tight deadlines and focuses on delivering results.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate and tune algorithms for EO/IR sensor data, covering noise reduction, image enhancement, image registration, correction and pattern recognition.
• Use pattern recognition to detect, classify and track objects in EO/IR data for mission-critical work.
• Build and extend modeling and simulation libraries, including image simulators that generate synthetic EO/IR data for developing, testing and validating algorithms.
• Maintain and improve algorithms already deployed, troubleshoot fielded systems, and keep performance and reliability on target.
• Implement and test algorithm changes in deployed systems to meet ongoing mission needs.
• Write robust solutions to real mission problems in MATLAB, Python and C/C++.
• Analyze large, complex EO/IR datasets to pull out features, find patterns and measure algorithm performance.
• Build and document software tools for data collection, analysis and performance assessment.
• Break high-level customer requirements down into algorithm and subsystem requirements that guide software and systems engineering.
• Document and present algorithm performance results to technical and non-technical audiences, including government customers.
• Attend technical interchange meetings and represent the group on project matters.
• Report status on assigned tasks and program schedules.
• Travel or work off-site when needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in physics, optical sciences, computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering or a related technical field, with proven experience in image processing or EO/IR systems.
• Active U.S. Government security clearance with TS/SCI eligibility.
• 8+ years of professional experience.
• Proven experience using MATLAB, Python and/or C/C++ for analysis, modeling, simulation or algorithm development.
• Strong experience designing, implementing, testing and optimizing EO/IR sensor algorithms, focused on image processing and pattern recognition.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including documenting technical work and presenting results to varied audiences.
• Ability to help complete programs and project milestones.
• Nice to have: Master's degree or PhD in physics, optical sciences, computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering or a related technical field.
• Nice to have: Experience with pattern recognition methods for EO/IR, including feature extraction, classification and tracking.
• Nice to have: Experience with radiometric, geometric and temporal sensor calibration for EO/IR systems.
• Nice to have: Expertise in modeling and simulation across multiple EO/IR phenomenologies.
• Nice to have: Experience across all product development phases, from proposal design architecture and requirements through design, integration, verification and transition to production.
• Nice to have: Experience managing or leading people in a technical or functional role within an engineering environment.

Conditions

Based in Tucson, AZ.

The role may require long periods of sitting, standing and walking, plus computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust and fumes in production areas.

For U.S. offices only: to meet ITAR export rules for U.S. space technology, you must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, a refugee or asylee lawfully admitted to the U.S., or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or Department of Commerce.

For New Zealand offices only: background checks, including nationality checks, will be run before any offer is made, and you must be eligible to access ITAR-regulated equipment and data. You may be ineligible if you are not a citizen of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union or a NATO member country, or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality.