Senior/Principal Computer Scientist - Autonomous Sensing & Perception, Onsite

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Sandia's Autonomous Sensing & Perception organization is currently seeking an R&D Computer Scientist, with a Photogrammetry emphasis, to join the team.

The selected candidate will perform 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 photogrammetry, remote sensing, and perception methods. The principal focus for this position is the development and advancement of techniques to improve the geolocation accuracy of remote sensing data and augmentation of computer vision techniques with precision mensuration, collectively referred to as precision geolocation.

The successful applicant will have experience in relevant technical areas such as: photogrammetry, computer vision, image processing, statistical modeling, algorithm development and optimization, remote sensing, software engineering, and high-performance computing.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Analyze imagery and metadata from sensor collections to identify and explore potential quantitative approaches that will improve data usability and handle complications intrinsic to the data.
• Develop algorithms that will improve geolocation precision and accuracy estimation, along with three-dimensional scene reconstruction, thereby enabling down-stream automated processing on tight timelines.
• 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.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Some travel is required for this position.

Salary Range

$109,300 - $217,400

*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

• Masters in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or other relevant technical degree field plus one (1) year of relevant professional experience; or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience (Bachelors + 5 years experience)
• Experience in generating new basic and applied concepts, proposing those concepts to sponsors, building and leading medium-to-large-sized teams to turn those concepts into mature capabilities, and deploying those capabilities into high-consequence operational environments
• Demonstrated skill and experience with:
  • Photogrammetry and/or Computer Vision
  • C++ and Python
  • Git or other modern version control
• Experience using Linux operating systems and ability to perform technical work in a Linux environment
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level clearance and SCI-level clearance, which may require a polygraph test

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience with:
  • Performing rigorous analysis and algorithm development with large volumes of sensor data
  • GPU accelerated image processing techniques, especially utilizing CUDA Toolkit
  • Synthetic remote sensing data generation software and/or remote sensing data analysis software
  • Machine learning techniques for computer vision
  • Communicating technical results through technical writing (e.g., journal articles, conference proceedings, white papers, reports, etc.) or technical presentations (e.g., conference presentations, sponsor/customer briefings, etc.).
  • Docker
• Familiarity with:
  • Three-dimensional scene reconstruction (e.g., structure from motion) and associated photogrammetric, remote sensing, and computer vision methods.
  • Synthetic aperture radar and electro-optical imaging systems, geometry, and phenomenology
• Ability to work effectively as a member of diverse, multidisciplinary project teams
• An active DOE L- or Q-level security clearance or other equivalent active security clearance

About Our Team

Autonomous Sensing & Perception develops, implements, and deploys quantitative methods for the detection, identification, classification, localization, mapping, and contextualization of objects and events of interest in orbital, aerial, and terrestrial sensor data to support autonomous decision making by associated platforms and their support equipment. It is focused on the entire technology maturation spectrum from new and rapidly-maturing technologies, through development, to preparing them for use in operational environments, deploying them, and maintaining them once deployed.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.