Early Career Computer Science - Satellite Ground Stations, Onsite

What Your Job Will Be Like

Passionate about Space, Satellites and other Remote Sensing systems? Our team is dedicated to advancing remote sensing technologies and enhancing global security through the development of innovative ground station solutions. We are passionate about pushing the boundaries of what is possible in satellite operations and ensuring that our systems meet the highest standards of performance and reliability.

We are looking for a talented Computer Scientist to join our team and contribute to exciting projects that build and optimize satellite ground stations. As the selected candidate, you will play a crucial role in the design, development, and implementation of software systems for satellite ground stations. You will work collaboratively with engineers and other specialists to create robust solutions that support satellite communication, data processing, and mission operations.

Your contributions will directly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of our ground station capabilities.

On any given day, you may be called upon to:

• Collaborate with a team to develop new software using Java and C++ for sensor and payload scheduling, commanding, state‑of‑health monitoring, and constellation management.
• Work closely with architects, developers, technical leads, customers, and end users to gather requirements, design solutions, and deliver scalable software applications.
• Focus on enhancing user experience to support operational environments effectively.
• Utilize debugging tools, static analysis tools, test harnesses, and other capabilities to troubleshoot and resolve complex software applications and libraries.
• Conduct research to optimize scheduling algorithms, improve geolocation accuracy, and support feasibility studies.
• Engage with specialists in diverse fields such as data fusion, signal and image processing, analytics, cloud computing, machine learning, modeling and simulation, service‑oriented architectures, data management and visualization, and pattern recognition.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

$99,400 - $193,600

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain and maintain DOE Q and SCI clearances which may require a polygraph test.

The ideal R&D S&E, Computer Science candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Computer Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Demonstrated software development skills and familiarity with modern software development practices and tools (e.g., Agile).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and a passion to improve and expand technical skills.

• Proficiency in object‑oriented programming with Java and Python.
• Experience with Unix/Linux operating environments.
• Familiarity with the design and integration of distributed systems deployed across heterogeneous platforms.
• Experience in developing software for satellite ground stations or related aerospace applications.
• Knowledge of command and control technologies, including experience in building telemetry processing software and automated vehicle health management systems.
• Familiarity with Docker, Jenkins, and CI/CD practices.
• Experience with web‑based front‑end development.
• Experience in algorithm development for near real‑time systems.
• Active DOE Q security clearance.

Our team is at the forefront of designing and developing sophisticated data processing systems and analytical applications that support some of our nation's most critical nonproliferation and national security missions. Our mission is to engineer, build, deploy, and enhance vital systems that transform data into actionable decisions.

The Tasking, Planning, and Mission Management Department (6323) focuses on developing software to assist in satellite and payload command and control, task and asset scheduling and coordination, state‑of‑health analysis and visualization, mission planning, and other control elements such as navigation, geolocation, and payload pointing. Our team's deep domain expertise and technical experience, combined with an operational mindset, create extraordinary capabilities for our nation and the brave individuals who protect it.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.