Advanced Spectral & Geo‑Mapping Senior Specialist

Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority seeks a senior specialist to lead the development and operational use of advanced spectral-imaging and geo-mapping technologies to support UAS monitoring, airspace protection, and risk-based decision-making.

The role provides expert-level spatial analytics, spectral-signature interpretation, and geospatial intelligence to strengthen Dubai’s capability to detect, classify, and analyze unmanned aircraft activity across diverse environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Geospatial Science, Remote Sensing, GIS Engineering, Aerospace Data Analytics, or related field.
• 8+ years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 6+ years of relevant professional experience with a Master’s degree in geospatial analysis, spectral imaging, remote sensing, or aviation-related mapping.
• Experience in aviation, smart-city systems, or national-security geospatial programs is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain advanced spectral-imaging models to support UAS detection, classification, and anomaly identification.
• Lead the design and continuous enhancement of geo-mapping databases, ensuring high-accuracy spatial layers for UAS monitoring.
• Integrate spectral and geospatial datasets with UAS detection platforms, smart-city systems, and DCAA digital infrastructure.
• Conduct advanced spatial analysis to identify UAS activity patterns, risk zones, and operational hotspots.
• Produce high-resolution operational maps for UAS corridors, restricted zones, and sensitive-area protection.
• Support investigations by providing spectral-signature analysis, geo-referenced evidence, and spatial intelligence reports.
• Evaluate and test new imaging, mapping, and remote-sensing technologies for potential adoption.
• Develop interactive geo-dashboards and visualization tools for operational and strategic reporting.
• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance with DCAA geospatial standards.
• Maintain and update geospatial datasets, including terrain models, urban-development overlays, and UAS-risk maps.
• Coordinate with government entities to align mapping outputs with urban-planning data, restricted-zone boundaries, and national UAS databases.
• Provide technical input for regulatory frameworks related to UAS geo-mapping, airspace zoning, and spatial-risk classification.
• Support future-air-mobility readiness by developing geospatial tools for autonomous aircraft, eVTOL operations, and smart-city aerial networks.
• Contribute to digital-transformation initiatives involving AI-driven mapping, spectral analytics, and automated geospatial workflows.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned, consistent with the operational and regulatory responsibilities of the Unmanned Aircraft Monitoring Section.

Skills

Geospatial analysis

Spectral imaging

Remote sensing

UAS mapping

Data integration

Spatial visualization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Geospatial Science, Remote Sensing, GIS Engineering, Aerospace Data Analytics, or related field

Master’s degree in geospatial analysis, spectral imaging, remote sensing, or aviation-related mapping

Tools

GIS software

Job description

To lead the development, enhancement, and operational use of advanced spectral-imaging and geo-mapping technologies to support UAS monitoring, airspace protection, and risk-based decision-making. The role provides expert-level spatial analytics, spectral- signature interpretation, and geospatial intelligence to strengthen Dubai’s capability to detect, classify, and analyze unmanned aircraft activity across diverse environments.

This position plays a critical role in enabling Dubai’s readiness for future air-mobility ecosystems by integrating advanced mapping technologies with UAS detection platforms, smart-city systems, and national aviation databases.

Key Responsibilities/Duties:

• Develop and maintain advanced spectral-imaging models to support UAS detection, classification, and anomaly identification.
• Lead the design and continuous enhancement of geo-mapping databases, ensuring high-accuracy spatial layers for UAS monitoring.
• Integrate spectral and geospatial datasets with UAS detection platforms, smart-city systems, and DCAA digital infrastructure.
• Conduct advanced spatial analysis to identify UAS activity patterns, risk zones, and operational hotspots.
• Produce high-resolution operational maps for UAS corridors, restricted zones, and sensitive-area protection.
• Support investigations by providing spectral-signature analysis, geo-referenced evidence, and spatial intelligence reports.
• Evaluate and test new imaging, mapping, and remote-sensing technologies for potential adoption.
• Develop interactive geo-dashboards and visualization tools for operational and strategic reporting.
• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance with DCAA geospatial standards.
• Maintain and update geospatial datasets, including terrain models, urban-development overlays, and UAS-risk maps.
• Coordinate with government entities to align mapping outputs with urban-planning data, restricted-zone boundaries, and national UAS databases.
• Provide technical input for regulatory frameworks related to UAS geo-mapping, airspace zoning, and spatial-risk classification.
• Support future-air-mobility readiness by developing geospatial tools for autonomous aircraft, eVTOL operations, and smart-city aerial networks.
• Contribute to digital-transformation initiatives involving AI-driven mapping, spectral analytics, and automated geospatial workflows.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned, consistent with the operational and regulatory responsibilities of the Unmanned Aircraft Monitoring Section.

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Geospatial Science, Remote Sensing, GIS Engineering, Aerospace Data Analytics, or related field.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 8+ years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 6+ years of relevant professional experience with a Master’s degree in geospatial analysis, spectral imaging, remote sensing, or aviation-related mapping.
• Experience in aviation, smart-city systems, or national-security geospatial programs is preferred.