Satellite Payload Processing Engineer

Jobtailor; Harwell; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a skilled EO data engineer to design and implement image processing pipelines for multiple satellite missions. You will translate customer requirements into technically robust data products, contribute to payload definition, and ensure high data usability across platforms.

Key strengths include strong remote sensing theory, Python programming, GDAL/Rasterio experience, and workflow orchestration to deliver calibrated, analysis-ready products with rigorous Cal/Val practices.

Qualifications

• Strong grounding in remote sensing principles.
• Understanding of satellite payload processing concepts and algorithmic approaches.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with geospatial processing libraries (e.g. GDAL, rasterio, numpy, Xarray).
• Knowledge of geospatial data structures, formats, coordinate systems and projections.
• Understanding of data processing pipelines, automation concepts and workflow orchestration approaches.
• Awareness of calibration and validation (Cal/Val) principles for EO data quality.

Responsibilities

• Defining EO product specifications in collaboration with customers, sales teams and mission engineers, ensuring products meet user needs and mission objectives.
• Translating customer data requirements into clear technical processing specifications for EO missions and data products.
• Contributing to payload definition and selection for next-generation EO missions, ensuring downstream data usability and performance.
• Designing and developing image processing pipelines, from raw data ingestion through to delivery of calibrated, orthorectified and analysis-ready products.
• Implementing and maintaining image processing algorithms, including band-to-band registration, georeferencing and orthorectification, radiometric and atmospheric correction, cloud detection and masking, classification and derived products.
• Integrating processing workflows into scalable, automated data processing systems and orchestration platforms.
• Acting as a technical interface between data processing, sales and system engineering teams, supporting feasibility assessments, proposals and effort estimation.
• Continuously improving processing chains by evaluating new tools, algorithms and techniques to enhance quality, performance and efficiency.
• Supporting multi-payload and multi-sensor operations, adapting pipelines for diverse satellite platforms and data sources.
• Contributing to payload characterisation, calibration and validation (Cal/Val) activities to ensure data accuracy and product quality.

Skills

Remote Sensing Principles

Optical EO Image Processing

Python Programming

Geospatial Processing

Cal/Val

Data Processing Pipelines

Tools

GDAL

Rasterio

Numpy

Xarray

Workflow Orchestration Platforms

Job description

• Defining EO product specifications in collaboration with customers, sales teams and mission engineers, ensuring products meet user needs and mission objectives
• Translating customer data requirements into clear technical processing specifications for EO missions and data products
• Contributing to payload definition and selection for next-generation EO missions, ensuring downstream data usability and performance
• Designing and developing image processing pipelines, from raw data ingestion through to delivery of calibrated, orthorectified and analysis-ready products
• Implementing and maintaining image processing algorithms, including band-to-band registration, georeferencing and orthorectification, radiometric and atmospheric correction, cloud detection and masking, classification and derived products
• Integrating processing workflows into scalable, automated data processing systems and orchestration platforms
• Acting as a technical interface between data processing, sales and system engineering teams, supporting feasibility assessments, proposals and effort estimation
• Continuously improving processing chains by evaluating new tools, algorithms and techniques to enhance quality, performance and efficiency
• Supporting multi-payload and multi-sensor operations, adapting pipelines for diverse satellite platforms and data sources
• Contributing to payload characterisation, calibration and validation (Cal/Val) activities to ensure data accuracy and product quality

Requirements

• Strong grounding in remote sensing principles and optical Earth Observation (EO) image processing
• Understanding of satellite payload processing concepts and algorithmic approaches
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with geospatial processing libraries (e.g. GDAL, rasterio, numpy, Xarray)
• Knowledge of geospatial data structures, formats, coordinate systems and projections
• Understanding of data processing pipelines, automation concepts and workflow orchestration approaches
• Awareness of calibration and validation (Cal/Val) principles for EO data quality

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in remote sensing principles and optical Earth Observation (EO) image processing, with a strong focus on developing and implementing image processing pipelines and algorithms. Proficient in Python and familiar with geospatial processing libraries, ensuring high-quality data products through effective calibration and validation practices.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Remote Sensing Principles
• Optical Earth Observation Image Processing
• Python Programming
• Geospatial Processing Libraries
• Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val)

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Image Processing Algorithms
• Data Processing Pipelines
• Georeferencing
• Orthorectification
• Cloud Detection
• Classification
• Automated Data Processing Systems
• Payload Characterisation
• Data Usability
• Performance Evaluation

Soft Skills

• Collaboration
• Technical Communication
• Problem Solving

Industry Keywords

• Earth Observation
• Satellite Payload Processing
• Geospatial Data Structures
• Coordinate Systems
• Data Quality

Tools & Technologies

• GDAL
• Rasterio
• Numpy
• Xarray
• Workflow Orchestration Platforms