Research Engineer – EO/IR Image Processing

Awetomaton is seeking a Research Engineer to support the TAP Lab at the Boulder Ground Information Facility (BGIF) in Boulder, Colorado. You will work with a small team to adapt, train, evaluate, and transition a prototype application that detects and separates closely spaced objects in EO/IR imagery. In this role, you will acquire and prepare representative sensor data, evaluate algorithm performance, and adapt the prototype to perform effectively on real-world imagery. You will apply expertise in imagery science, image processing, and machine learning while developing software in Python using NumPy, scikit-image, PyTorch, and modern software engineering practices. The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, or a related field, with three to seven years of relevant experience.

This position must be performed on-site at the BGIF in Boulder, Colorado. An active SECRET security clearance is required. The anticipated salary range for this position is $90,000–$155,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, skills, and other job-related considerations. We are considering candidates through September, with a planned start date in October 2026.

Criteria for success

• Communicate technical results effectively in written and verbal form to engineers, users, and decision-makers. 
• Demonstrate initiative when working with limited guidance or ambiguous requirements. 
• Translate operational needs into measurable algorithm requirements and experiments. 
• Apply sound scientific methods to algorithm development, evaluation, and validation. 
• Produce clear, reproducible, and maintainable research software. 
• Collaborate effectively within a small, multidisciplinary team.

Required Experience and Skills

• Bachelor of Science in computer science, electrical or computer engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related engineering discipline. 
• At least three years of experience in image processing, computer vision, machine learning, imagery science, or a related engineering field. 
• At least one year of professional Python development experience. 
• Experience developing or evaluating algorithms for EO/IR imagery or comparable sensor data. 
• Experience using NumPy and at least one image-processing or machine-learning framework. 
• Experience preparing datasets and quantitatively evaluating algorithm performance. 
• Proficiency with software configuration management using Git. 
• Active SECRET security clearance. 
• Ability to work on-site at the BGIF in Boulder, Colorado.

Desired Education and Experience

• Bachelor or Master of Science in computer science, electrical engineering, software engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related discipline. 
• Experience with OPIR or GEOINT imagery and data exploitation. 
• Experience developing image-processing algorithms with scikit-image. 
• Experience training, adapting, or evaluating models with PyTorch. 
• Experience with point-source detection, object separation, image segmentation, or related techniques. 
• Experience with sensor calibration, image correction, noise characterization, or image-quality assessment. 
• Experience developing modular, reusable software using object-oriented design practices. 
• Familiarity with Protocol Buffers, container technologies, Kubernetes, and operational software deployment. 
• Experience with Docker, Podman, or similar container technologies.