Space Data Processing Post-Bacc Student

What You Will Do

The Space Data & Software Systems Group (ISR-3) at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a qualified Post Baccalaureate Student to participate in the execution of our portfolio of space and ground-based programs. ISR-3 is an integral part of the Intelligence and Space Research (ISR) Division with core capabilities in software development, mission operations, data exploitation, data systems development, and integration.

The successful candidate will become a member of ISR-3 and be assigned to the Data Processing Tools & Management team. This team provides support for ground‑based processing of spacecraft and instrument telemetry by developing and maintaining data processing software, pipelines, and deployment infrastructure. Work involves both software development and systems engineering in support of space mission operations. The successful candidate will work regularly in a classified setting and must demonstrate a strong commitment towards security.

The successful candidate will be self‑motivated, with good communication, documentation, and teamwork skills. The Intelligence and Space Research (ISR) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory has been designing, building, and operating highly innovative ground, air and space‑based measurement and detection systems for nearly 60 years. Our interdisciplinary teams of engineers, technicians, and scientists work, learn, and succeed through a highly creative and dynamic R&D environment.

We build, fly, operate and analyze data from measurement systems deployed to space for verification of international nuclear treaties, and develop innovative sensors, ground, airborne, and space hardware/software systems for basic scientific missions, nuclear nonproliferation, space situational awareness and remote sensing. We also lead experiments on NASA missions, including the Curiosity Rover, Van Allen Probes, and IBEX as well as the Mars 2020 Rover, IMAP Mission, NACHOS hyperspectral cubesat, and BEAMPIE rocket experiment.

• Programming
  
  Experience:
  
  2+ years of experience with C/C++ and/or Python.
• Operating System
  
  Experience:
  
  Familiarity with Unix/Linux Operating systems.
• Version Control System
  
  Experience:
  
  Working knowledge with one of the following version control systems: SVN, git, or mercurial.
• Collaboration/Teaming:
  Demonstrated ability to work closely with scientific teams. Must be able to build and maintain effective relationships.
• Communication:
  Strong written and verbal and presentation skills.
• Education/
  
  Experience:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, equivalent science degree or B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent engineering degree. Eligibility limited to students who have completed a bachelor's degree within the past 3 years but have not been accepted and enrolled in a graduate program. The bachelor's degree should have been completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent.

• Strong Linux system administration and scripting skills
• Experience developing formalized unit and/or integration test software
• Familiarity with data processing pipelines and common data engineering and scientific packages
• Experience developing, testing, deploying, and iterating scientific algorithms

• Experience with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Apache Airflow)
• Familiarity with container technologies (Podman, Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes, Open Shift)
• Experience with satellite sensors and programs
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and Dev Ops practices
• Familiarity with debugging tools such as the GNU Debugger (GDB)
• Familiarity with Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5) or other similar file formats

Clearance: Q Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements
* for access to classified matter.

• Eligibility requirements:
  To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

The work location for this position is…