What Your Job Will Be Like

Autonomous Sensing and Perception is currently seeking an R&D Computer Scientist to join their team.

The selected candidate will perform software/algorithm research and development work focused on making orbital, aerial, and terrestrial sensors and their associated platforms and support equipment more autonomous through the application of cutting-edge remote sensing and perception methods, with specific emphasis on research and development of precision geolocation capabilities. The selected candidate will research, develop, and deploy automated photogrammetric software solutions within autonomous sensing systems.

The successful application will have experience in relevant technical areas such as programming (C++ and python), GPU acceleration of algorithms, image processing and exploitation as well as strong technical communication skills, leading project teams and sponsor engagement.

On any given day you may be called upon to:

• Conduct analysis of sensor data collections employing advanced statistical methods and mathematical techniques to extract meaningful insights
• Identify and explore potential quantitative approaches for autonomous information extraction/analysis suitable for higher-confidence decision making.
• Develop algorithms that will enable the autonomous processing of multiple live sensor streams in real time, in both data center and edge environments.
• Implement and deploy high potential approaches in software, working closely with diverse teams of scientists and engineers from across Sandia and external partner organizations (government, academia, industry) that are designing and building multiple sensor systems, platforms, and ground stations.
• Provide technical input on existing and future designs and documents for geospatial intelligence working groups, standards bodies, and sponsors.
• Produce feasibility and level-of-effort estimates for project proposals and contract solicitations.
• Coordinate research and development efforts across internal and external teams to achieve programmatic goals.
• Assist in upholding best software practices by contributing to CI/CD pipeline design, implementation, maintenance, and documentation using GitLab CI/CD and other DevOps tools
• Investigate and remediate problems in real time within operational systems and workflows
• Work onsite due to the sensitive and classified nature of the work environment

Salary Range

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain an active DOE Q and/or SCI level clearance or equivalent.

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D Computer Science candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will, in addition, possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Computer Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Demonstrated software development skills and familiarity with modern software development practices and tools (e.g., Agile).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and a passion to improve and expand technical skills.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Experience leading projects or project teams to successful results
• Experience in analysis and algorithm development with large volumes of sensor data, including knowledge and experience in relevant programming languages such as C++ and Python.
• Experience designing and developing robust software solutions, utilizing software engineering best practices and programming to enhance data processing efficiency, user interface functionality, and overall system performance, including experience using version control systems, using CI/CD systems, knowledge of software containerization, and knowledge of DevSecOps best practices.
• Experience taking algorithms from literature and applying them to new contexts or datasets
• Experience with automated software testing
• Experience working on Unix systems
• Experience with relational databases
• Experience in GPU acceleration of algorithms
• Experience using agile software development paradigms
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently and make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through technical writing or presentations as evidenced by journal article publications, conference proceedings and presentation, white papers and technical reports, etc.
• Active DOE Q and/or SCI level clearance or equivalent

About Our Team

The Autonomous Sensing & Perception Departments at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) specialize in developing and deploying quantitative methods for detecting, identifying, classifying, localizing, and contextualizing objects of interest across a variety of sensor data. This expertise spans a wide range of sensor modalities, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), and Full Motion Video (FMV), among others. We leverage advanced algorithms that blend classical statistical methods with cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to create robust solutions for automated sensing applications.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.