What are the responsibilities and job description for the Engineer, Software (EarthRISE) position at Universities Space Research Association?
USRA and the Science and Technology Institute are seeking a full-time Software Engineer to work in our Huntsville, AL office. The candidate will work directly with EarthRISE, which is a project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that works in collaboration with state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners to use information provided by Earth observing satellites and geospatial technologies for managing environmental challenges. EarthRISE’s goal is to empower decision-makers with tools, products, geospatial artificial intelligence, and services to act locally on issues such as disasters, agriculture, water, ecosystems, air quality, and health.
We are seeking a highly motivated Software Engineer experienced in the development of scientific visualization tools, involving geospatial data (interactive maps, charts and tables) and automation of scientific data processing workflows. The engineer will work with teams of early career scientists in the EarthRISE Developers Academy to create various web-based visualization and analysis interfaces using a large and diverse array of Earth observation datasets and solutions customized for use cases in various thematic areas.
The Software Engineer will require strong interpersonal and communication skills to successfully elicit crucial requirements and produce solution prototypes in short development cycles. The Engineer will be part of the Geospatial IT Team in EarthRISE and will collaborate closely with teammates to leverage existing experience and available assets (e.g., existing application code and patterns, current technological infrastructure and methodologies, etc.).
Specific Responsibilities
Potential candidates should be proficient in various programming languages, able to deploy various technology infrastructure components (primarily in cloud environments), and have a strong foundation on machine learning and AI techniques and tools.
The EarthRISE Software Engineer will:
- Collaborate with and mentor EarthRISE Developers Academy participants and teams across multiple NASA centers, in-person and virtually, to design and develop computer applications, automation scripts and AI/ML solutions based on end-user needs
- Document designs for delivered software components
- Conduct code reviews and enforce open science and engineering best practices and standards
- Monitor application performance and resource utilization and troubleshoot production issues
- Assist developers in other teams of the EarthRISE project to implement best practices for software development testing and debugging procedures, technical documentation, and quality assurance
- Provide guidance to scientists to optimize their data processing algorithms
- Prepare and deliver technical presentations on software development practices, AI/LLM implementations, and project outcomes
- Research and test emerging technologies to assess their potential value for EarthRISE applications
Education: Master’s degree in computer science, software engineering or similiar degree focusing on Software Development or equivalent experience
Experience: 5 or more years of experience in Software Development projects using a broad set of technologies such as:
- Relational database design & management (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MSSQL)
- Web applications development, including standards and underlying software architecture (Server technologies: NGINX, IIS, Apache, Tomcat; Web presentation languages: HTML, CSS; Data transfer languages: XML, JSON)
- Server-side scripting languages (e.g., Python, PHP, .NET languages, Perl, etc.)
- Client-side programming with JavaScript, jQuery, React, or others
- Cloud-based architecture and deployment
- Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Model (LLM) solutions, including prompt engineering, AI-powered chatbot development, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and deployment of AI-enabled services
- Leveraging multiple visualization technologies to interpret statistical data and communicate complex scientific outcomes to technical and non-technical stakeholders
Specialized experience on Earth science geospatial data analysis tools, such as:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Web mapping technology
- Geospatial data processing/data management
- Geographic information API’s (e.g., Google Maps, ArcGIS API for JavaScript, MapLayers, Leaflet, Mapbox, or others)
- Math, statistical & scientific data processing automation (using libraries, packages or tools such as SciPy, NumPy, ArcPy, GDAL, R, Math.NET, MatLab, etc.)
- Raster datasets and time-series collections
- Application of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques for geospatial analytics, spatial pattern detection, predictive modeling, and automated feature extraction
- Integration of AI-driven and Large Language Model (LLM)-based solutions for geospatial data interpretation, metadata analysis, and intelligent query or decision-support systems
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills
- Ability to work effectively with others in a multidisciplinary team environment, both in-person and virtually
- Discipline and initiative
- Planning/organization
Working Conditions:
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, etc. for extensive online usage. This is largely a sedentary role.
Travel: None.
Citizenship: Candidate must be a US Citizen
This position is contingent on contract funding.
Applicants should apply to the posting at Home | USRA Careers and include a letter of interest, resume, or curriculum vitae. Additional information on USRA can be found at Home | USRA
USRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Minorities / Females / Protected Veterans / Disabled / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity.
Salary : $70,245 - $105,420