Image Processing & Astrometry Engineer for Space Surveillance

Foundational; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EMI share options (UK employees)

25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle to work schemes

Offices in central London, with snacks

Job summary

Foundational in London is seeking an Optical SSA / Image Processing Engineer to build the image processing that finds, tracks and measures objects in our camera data from satellite laser ranging stations.

You will develop pipelines for detection, streak extraction and astrometry, calibrate cameras and timing for accurate, traceable measurements, and build real-time processing to support closed-loop tracking while collaborating with optics and software teams.

Qualifications

• A degree in physics, astronomy, computer science or similar.
• Image processing and computer vision in Python or C++.
• Astrometry and photometry experience, e.g. with astropy or Source Extractor.
• Knowledge of camera sensors: noise, calibration and time-stamping.

Responsibilities

• Develop pipelines for detection, streak extraction and astrometry.
• Calibrate cameras and timing so measurements are accurate and traceable.
• Build real-time processing to support closed-loop tracking.
• Validate results against catalogue orbits and our own laser data.
• Work with the optics and software teams on camera selection and integration.

Skills

Image processing

Python

C++

Astrometry

Photometry

Astropy

Source Extractor

Camera sensors

Education

Physics

Astronomy

Computer Science

Tools

Python

C++

Job description

Foundational in London is seeking an Optical SSA / Image Processing Engineer to build the image processing that finds, tracks and measures objects in our camera data from satellite laser ranging stations.

You will develop pipelines for detection, streak extraction and astrometry, calibrate cameras and timing for accurate, traceable measurements, and build real-time processing to support closed-loop tracking while collaborating with optics and software teams.