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Req ID: 0110

Journeyman Spectral Scientist (3-10 yrs experience) - NGA Campus East (NCE), Springfield, Virginia

Clearance Level - TS/SCI  (must possess or be able to obtain)

Job Description:
The contractor shall provide imagery science services in support of the production of standard and non-standard NGA intelligence products. Duties include those AS DEFINED IN MACSS BASE SOW, and: 

  • Provide Image Science Advanced GEOINT products and services in each respective specialty. 

  • Contribute (directly and indirectly) to the production of GEOINT by supporting analytic customers.

  • Contribute directly to the maturation of GEOINT tradecraft by generating GEOINT NoteTradecraft (GN-Ts) where appropriate.

  • Maintain awareness of and leverage the capabilities of new national, civil, commercial and foreign government remote sensing systems to generate GEOINT products and services. 

  • Adapt AGI strategies to accommodate challenges encountered by users supporting various intelligence mission areas.

  • Provide guidance to customers and mission partners regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and effective uses of remote sensing systems available to support respective specialties. Engage with users and mission stakeholders to understand operational/analytic workflows and integrate solutions with existing systems. 

  • Collaborate with fellow image scientists to leverage the full capacity of NGA’s scientific expertise and advance customer objectives.

  • Provide results to the customer with the requested form and content, including project related briefings as required.

  • As necessary provide expertise to assist in the development of training materials for scientific and analytic audiences, to include materials supporting NGC courses, computer-based training (CBT) inputs, and short video training segments (KZOs).

  • Identify opportunities to automate or streamline product creation or service provision to increase NGA’s capacity to provide imagery science support to Analysis. 

  • Recognize scenarios where automation is ineffective for the primary goal of maximizing the effectiveness of human analysts working intelligence missions; advocate for solutions which make best use of the strengths of human and computer resources available to NGA.

  • Develop automated processing routines, scripts and algorithms to extract information from imagery for use in analysis.

  • Evaluate data and perform quality control on processing to identify issues and avoid erroneous analytic outputs. 

  • Where appropriate, provide peer review and assistance to scientists and analysts preparing to publish (formally or informally) results to the IC.

  • Research and/or develop performance metrics to aid NGA in optimizing its use of resources and the value-added of its intelligence-generation activities. 

  • Assist customers and mission partners in visualizing data (remotely sensed or otherwise) to gain situational awareness into relevant decisions and considerations.

  • Aid in the transition of automated processing capabilities to NGA’s C2S Cloud architecture

  • As necessary and when appropriate provide expertise and assistance in presenting Ad-hoc informational briefings and training for the purpose of educating analysts and managers as to the capabilities of GEOINT processing and its benefit, to include presentations to the Commonwealth countries, and serving as an adjunct instructor for the National Geospatial-Intelligence College 

Required Skills:

  • Bachelor of Science degree or higher in image science, remote sensing, earth science, physical science, engineering, computer science, statistics, or similar engineering/science field.

  • Proficiency and at least three years’ experience with applied image processing and scientific analysis of spectral image data –including but not limited to:

    • Knowledge and skill of spectral imaging, phenomenology, and processing techniques. Proficiency at performing processes including atmospheric correction; change detection; target detection; scene categorization; extraction of land use land cover analysis; and vegetation analysis.

    • Knowledge of hyperspectral imaging system technology, image formation, and phenomenology. Experience in processing hyperspectral and/or multispectral imagery from airborne or space-borne systems.

    • Understanding of sensor design principles and their relationship to sensor performance in this phenomenology/discipline. Proficiency with techniques, algorithms, and spectroscopic analysis required for multispectral and hyperspectral image processing

    • Familiarity with signature library development.

    • Proficiency using Harris’ ENVICOTS image processing software, and/or ERDAS IMAGINE.

    • Familiarity with commercial and civil data sources. 

  • Ability to parse code/scripts used in image processing in one of the following programming languages: IDL, Java, MATLAB, Python, R.

  • Excellent interpersonal, written, and communication skills, and the ability to interact effectively with individuals at all levels in the GEOINT Community. 

  • Demonstrated familiarity with the US Intelligence Community, specifically imagery collection and exploitation and GEOINT’s role in the intelligence mission. 

  • Experience collaborating with all / multiple national and service intelligence agencies/centers.

  • Knowledge in the tasking of overhead intelligence collection systems.

  • Proficiency in MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel. 

  • Working knowledge in the Windows operating system.

Desired Skills:

  • Proficiency in developing and delivering lesson material in a formal classroom environment or for digital recording in video or CBT format. Familiarity with microlearning, video editing, lesson plan development principles.

  • Formal training in remote sensing and/or earth science/physical science, or engineering/mathematical disciplines.

  • Demonstrated initiative and willingness to pursue mission goals and seize opportunities above and beyond those directly articulated.

  • Proficiency in tool development and software coding in IDL, MATLAB, C++, and/or Python.

  • Knowledge or experience in chemical processes.

  • Knowledge or experience in atmospheric science.

  • Knowledge or experience with GIS software and methodological principles, especially ArcGIS.

  • Knowledge or experience working with man-made irradiance sources, to include LEDs and other lights, in an optics/remote sensing context.

  • Proficiency with MS SharePoint especially as implemented in the IC/JWICS architecture.

  • Advanced degree in a scientific discipline, or social science/security studies if combined with prior academic or professional technical experience.

  • Experience and technical knowledge associated with the development and use of APIs.

  • Experience and technical knowledge associated with the Amazon C2S cloud infrastructure framework.

  • Experience and technical knowledge associated with the IC implementation of the C2S cloud framework (especially, PKIs and content/access security constraints).

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