Image Processing Engineer

Position Overview

KBR is seeking an Image Processing Engineer in Sioux Falls, SD, to support the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. This is a full-time, onsite position requiring consistent, in-person collaboration with team members, scientists, and mission partners. In partnership with NASA and the Landsat project, this position supports Landsat product generation, which processes satellite imagery used by scientists, researchers, government agencies, and organizations around the world. You will develop and optimize high-performance image processing applications that support operational satellite data processing and future Earth observation initiatives.

Core Responsibilities

• Independently execute engineering tasks and contribute throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Design, develop, and maintain image-processing software components.
• Develop software primarily in C, with supporting development in Python.
• Optimize algorithms and processing workflows to reduce runtime and improve processing throughput.
• Design and maintain applications that write to and query relational databases.
• Develop solutions that ingest, process, and distribute large volumes of satellite imagery and derived products.
• Support cloud-based image-processing architectures and workflows.
• Perform software planning, requirements refinement, and technical design activities.
• Develop, execute, and document unit and integration tests.
• Troubleshoot operational processing issues and implement corrective actions.
• Participate in code reviews, design reviews, and technical discussions.
• Collaborate closely with Systems Engineers, Software Engineers, Scientists, and mission stakeholders.

Education & Skills

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience: Seven or more years of professional software engineering experience.
• Experience: Developing software in C within Linux/Unix environments.
• Experience: Working with data-intensive processing systems.
• Experience: Supporting cloud computing environments.
• Experience: Interfacing with relational database systems.

Required Skills

• Strong proficiency in C programming.
• Working knowledge of Python.
• Experience writing software that interfaces with databases.
• Relational database experience.
• Linux/Unix expertise.
• Experience improving software performance and decreasing processing runtime.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycle practices.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a highly skilled technical team.

Desired Skills

• Digital image processing experience.
• Remote sensing or Earth observation experience.
• Scientific computing experience.
• Cloud-native processing architectures.
• AWS cloud services experience.
• Postgres database experience.
• Satellite ground-system experience.
• Mathematics, physics, or related scientific background.
• Experience with AI-assisted software development and documentation tools.

Special Requirements

• Three years of continuous residency in the United States for issuance of a Government Security credential.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a national agency check and background investigation for facility access.

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development. Click here to learn more: KBR Benefits | KBR Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together. KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. R2128987