The Role
We are looking for an individual contributor to architect and deploy production-grade subsystems that power our cutting-edge products for both commercial clients and critical national security missions. As a Kestrel Data Scientist, you will lead the development of high-fidelity data processing pipelines, traditional AI/ML models, and wrapping them into tools for next-generation Agentic AI. You will work at the bleeding edge of geospatial science. This role requires adaptability, engineering rigor, and a deep respect for the mission.
Core Responsibilities:
- Architecture: Lead the end-to-end creation of production-ready AI/ML and agentic subsystems.
- Geospatial Engineering: Build robust preprocessing pipelines for raster and vector data (using GDAL, SNAP, rasterio, PostGIS).
- Innovation: Integrate emerging technologies, from Geospatial Foundation Models (GeoFMs) to autonomous route planning, into a cohesive operational picture.
You Must Be:
A master of foundational geospatial: Proven experience building geospatial data preprocessing pipelines (raster and vector) using the modern geospatial stack (GDAL, SNAP, rasterio, PostGIS, etc.).
A specialist: You must have production-grade experience in at least two (2) of the following domains:
- Traditional GeoAI/ML: Object detection/land classification (scikit, OpenCV, etc.).
- Geospatial Foundation Models: Utilizing GeoFMs like AlphaEarth, Prithvi, or Clay.
- SAR & Interferometry: Pipeline development (e.g., isce2).
- Hyperspectral Imaging: Processing (e.g., SPy).
- RF Propagation: Modeling signal data (e.g., CloudRF).
- Digital Elevation Models: Handling DEM in multiple formats (e.g., DTED).
- Autonomous Systems: Route planning for unmanned systems (e.g., Auterion, ArduPilot).
- Optimization: Complex scheduling for satellite constellations or aircraft.
- Economics: Models for resource allocation such as auction, bidding, pricing, waiting.
Must be a US Citizen
Bonus:
- Based in the Colorado Springs, CO or Washington, DC (working in customer sites in Crystal City, VA and Herndon, VA) areas
- Active Top Secret // Specially Compartmented Information (TS//SCI) clearance with counterintelligence-scope polygraph (CSP) or full-scope polygraph (FSP)
