Scientist 2​/3

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

This position will be filled at either the Scientist 2 or Scientist 3 level, depending on the skills and experience of the selected candidate. Additional responsibilities will be assigned at the higher level. The Space Remote Sensing and Data Science Group, ISR-6, at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a scientist to contribute to cutting‑edge research and development in remote sensing, data science, image processing, signal processing, machine learning, and sensor data exploitation.

This position is open for external candidates only to apply. This position will be filled at either the Scientist 2 or Scientist 3 level, depending on the skills and experience of the selected candidate. Additional responsibilities will be assigned at the higher level. The Space Remote Sensing and Data Science Group, ISR-6, at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a scientist to contribute to cutting‑edge research and development in remote sensing, data science, image processing, signal processing, machine learning, and sensor data exploitation.

ISR-6 develops advanced methods and technologies for collecting, processing, analyzing, and interpreting data from space, airborne, ground-based, and laboratory remote‑sensing systems. We are interested in candidates with strong technical foundations in image processing, signal processing, statistical analysis, computational modeling, scientific data analysis, or applied machine learning/AI. Experience with any specific sensing phenomenology is welcome but not required.

In this role, you will contribute to one or more of the following areas:

• Developing algorithms for processing, analyzing, and interpreting image, spectral, time-series, RF, optical, or other sensor data
• Applying statistical, mathematical, machine‑learning, AI, or physics‑informed methods to detection, estimation, characterization, and inference problems
• Supporting source‑to‑sensor modeling, including source behavior, propagation, sensor response, and measurement uncertainty
• Analyzing experimental or field‑collected data and comparing results with theoretical, simulated, or modeled expectations
• Contributing to the design, characterization, calibration, and optimization of sensing systems and instruments
• Participating in laboratory, field, or deployment activities to collect and evaluate remote‑sensing data
• Communicating technical results through reports, presentations, publications, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams
• Support field experiments at national and, as needed, international locations

The successful candidate will have many of the following qualifications:

• Background in engineering, physics, applied mathematics, computer science, data science, or a related technical field
• Experience conducting basic or applied research, engineering development, or technical analysis relevant to sensing, imaging, signal processing, scientific computing, machine learning, or sensor data analysis
• Working knowledge of image processing, signal processing, statistical analysis, numerical methods, machine learning, or related data‑analysis techniques
• Experience using scientific programming tools or languages such as Python, MATLAB, C/C++, Julia, IDL, or similar
• Demonstrated ability and enthusiasm for leveraging modern AI/agentic systems to accelerate scientific research, software development, data analysis, or engineering workflows.
• Familiarity with one or more types of sensor or measurement systems, which may include cameras, focal plane arrays, optical systems, RF systems, acoustic/vibration sensors, spectral sensors, data‑acquisition systems, laboratory instrumentation, or field sensors
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Clear written and oral communication skills, including the ability to contribute to technical reports, presentations, or publications
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance, which generally requires U.S. citizenship

In addition to the Job Requirements outlined above,…