IMPORTANT: This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
The National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. (NEON™) is a $430 million dollar observatory project dedicated to understanding how changes in climate, land use and invasive species impact ecology. For the next three decades NEON will collect a comprehensive range of ecological data on a continental scale across 20 eco-climatic domains representing US ecosystems. NEON will use cutting edge technology including an airborne observation platform that will capture images of regional landscapes and vegetation; mobile, relocatable, and fixed data collection sites with automated ground sensors to monitor soil and atmosphere; and trained field crews who will observe and sample populations of diverse organisms and collect soil and water data. A leading edge cyberinfrastructure will calibrate, store and publish this information. The Observatory will grow to 300+ personnel and will be the first of its kind designed to detect and enable forecasting of ecological change at continental scales.
Location:
Boulder, CO
Summary:
The AOP Remote Sensing Scientist is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the pathfinder and test airborne remote sensing flight campaigns during Construction and will lead flight operations during Observatory operations. The Remote Sensing Scientist will be responsible for coordinating the activities of engineers and technicians supporting flight operations under the direction of the AOP Product Team Lead. The Remote Sensing Scientist will be responsible for developing and maintaining the flight safety plan. The Remote Sensing Scientist serves a key role in the AOP’s mission to acquire and disseminate biochemical and structural information on terrestrial ecosystems.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop, implement, and manage AOP flight operations for test and pathfinder flight campaigns during Observatory construction
• Develop flight operations plans and protocols for flight operations during Observatory operations
• Coordinate activities of AOP Engineering technicians to support flight operations and laboratory instrument maintenance and calibration
• Develop and manage the flight safety plan for AOP flight operations
• Work closely with AOP science and engineering staff in development of project documents including plans, procedures, and technical reports
• Contribute to the development of science data products targeted at ecological science from airborne spectroscopic and lidar measurements
• Contribute in the development and execution of internal and external project reviews and reports
Education:
• PhD in optical or electrical engineering, remote sensing, physics, or related fields, or master’s degree in one of these areas and equivalent experience.
Required Experience:
• Minimum of 5 years experience working with airborne remote sensing flight planning, instrument operations, and deployment of airborne instruments
• Working knowledge of imaging spectrometers, high resolution imagery, and lidar altimetry
• Demonstrated skill with standard research software packages (e.g., IDL, Matlab)
• Demonstrated experience in a leadership position
Preferred Experience:
• Experience in planning and executing ground data collection campaigns in support of remote sensor calibration and data validation activities
• Knowledge of instrument calibration principals and methods
• Experience with lidar flight planning and operations software programs such as Optech’s ALTM-Nav, LMS and PosPac
• Familiarity with standard System Engineering protocols and methods
Skills and Abilities:
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience working in a collaborative scientific enterprise
• Ability to work independently and as a part of an active science/engineering team
• Skilled at scientific writing and review
