SAR Exploitation/Imagery Scientist, Expert

Castalia Systems•Springfield, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Castalia Systems is seeking a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Exploitation/Imagery Scientist, Expert, to support our client. A qualified candidate will perform the following duties and responsibilities, but are not limited to: Conduct assessment of potential differences between new sensor characteristics and capabilities compared to currently utilized platforms. Assess potential differences in metadata, data format, and data structure characteristics in regards to changes to databases, schemas, APIs, and other ETL related processes for the ingestion and movement of data when integrating into the existing data operations pipeline. Determine how to acquire new data, potential latency associated with acquisition, data formats, and security domains. Determine how to pre-process and standardize the data to match existing data standards or to be transformed into a usable state for labeling and model testing purposes. This may involve converting between file format types or tiling full-size images into specified sizes or geospatial bounds. Investigate any gaps in the emerging sensor capability that may need to be supplemented by other sources. Explore options for coincident imagery collects from other imagery platforms (e.g., EO platforms) that align with areas of emerging sensor's collection. Determine other platforms with similar geographic and temporal coverage.

Requirements

6+ years as a SAR expert with understanding of collection, phenomenology, image formation process, and exploitation products.
Exhibit experience using SARPy and Matlab SAR toolbox
Experience in RNIIRS, information theoretic-based image quality metrics, SAR imagery quality metrics (e.g., Integrated Sidelobe Ratio, Multiplicative Noise Ratio), and sensor metadata describing impacts of geometry on phenomenology (e.g., graze, squint, azimuth)
Exhibit experience exploiting SAR to determine the occurrence and location of objects of interest
Exhibit experience developing, testing, and evaluating new algorithms, processes, methodologies, and products using SAR imagery including experience utilizing advanced processing tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, Google Earth Engine, etc.) to automate scientific processes of SAR imagery data to aid analysis
Exhibit experience communicating with a variety of technical and non-technical audiences on availability and capabilities of SAR imagery products, methodologies, procedures, and algorithms to enhance analysis.
Exhibit a deep understanding of the principles of remote sensing and imagery processing and advanced exploitation methods.

Nice To Haves

Exhibit experience applying CV and machine learning (ML) techniques to SAR imagery and data to address intelligence problems.

Responsibilities

Conduct assessment of potential differences between new sensor characteristics and capabilities compared to currently utilized platforms.
Assess potential differences in metadata, data format, and data structure characteristics in regards to changes to databases, schemas, APIs, and other ETL related processes for the ingestion and movement of data when integrating into the existing data operations pipeline.
Determine how to acquire new data, potential latency associated with acquisition, data formats, and security domains.
Determine how to pre-process and standardize the data to match existing data standards or to be transformed into a usable state for labeling and model testing purposes.
Investigate any gaps in the emerging sensor capability that may need to be supplemented by other sources.
Explore options for coincident imagery collects from other imagery platforms (e.g., EO platforms) that align with areas of emerging sensor's collection.
Determine other platforms with similar geographic and temporal coverage.