Remote Sensing Project Lead

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.; Minnetonka (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. seeks a Remote Sensing Project Lead for Electric Utility Aerial Mapping to oversee end-to-end mapping projects across transmission, distribution, and substations.

You will coordinate LiDAR/imagery acquisition, ground surveys, and PLS-CADD model development, serve as the primary client contact, and guide cross-functional teams to meet scope, schedule, and budget. Excellent communication and project-financial management skills are required; ASPRS certification

Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience in electric utility, transmission/distribution, or geospatial services.
• Knowledge of aerial LiDAR/imagery workflows for utility corridors and substations.
• Familiarity with terrestrial/mobile LiDAR scanning workflows.
• Familiarity with PLS-CADD modeling processes for utility mapping.
• Strong ability to manage multiple concurrent utility client engagements and cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in project financials: budgets, invoices, and WIP.

Responsibilities

• Manage electric utility mapping projects from inception to final delivery across multiple engagements.
• Serve as the primary client contact for utility clients; lead scoping, kickoff, and progress reviews.
• Develop and manage proposals, fee estimates, invoicing, and WIP tracking.
• Coordinate LiDAR and imagery acquisition (various platforms) to meet requirements.
• Oversee point cloud classification and feature coding to utility standards.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, and staffing plans; communicate status and risks.
• Document scope changes and prepare change orders.
• Enforce QA/QC procedures for classified data and PLS-CADD models.

Skills

Project management

Aerial LiDAR workflows

PLS-CADD understanding

Client management

Budget & invoicing

Communication

Education

ASPRS certification preferred

Tools

PLS-CADD

LiDAR processing

Job description

Description

The Remote Sensing Project Lead - Electric Utility Aerial Mapping is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of electric utility transmission, distribution, and substation aerial and terrestrial mapping projects, from proposal and scoping through data acquisition, LiDAR/imagery classification, PLS-CADD model development, and final deliverable handoff. This role serves as the primary client contact for utility and cooperative clients, coordinating survey, aerial and terrestrial acquisition, classification, and PLS-CADD design teams to ensure deliverables meet client specifications, schedules, and budgets. The Project Lead works closely with Leadership, Production Lead, and technical staff to plan, execute, and track performance across multiple concurrent utility engagements, and may also support other aerial mapping projects outside the utility sector as needed.

Requirements

Job Duties:

• Manage electric utility transmission, distribution, and substation aerial and terrestrial mapping projects from inception through final PLS-CADD deliverable across multiple concurrent engagements.
• Serve as the primary client contact for utility and cooperative clients; represent Westwood in scoping calls, kickoff meetings, and progress reviews.
• Develop and manage proposals, fee estimates, invoicing, and work-in-process tracking, for utility mapping engagements.
• Coordinate LiDAR and imagery acquisition (fixed-wing, helicopter, UAS, and terrestrial/mobile LiDAR scanning) and ground survey control to meet utility corridor and substation requirements.
• Oversee point cloud classification and feature/attribute coding (conductors, structures, substations, vegetation, ground, etc.) to utility-specific standards, including vegetation clearance classifications.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, and staffing plans across classification, PLS-CADD, and QA/QC teams; proactively communicate status and risks.
• Identify and document scope changes, such as corridor extensions, reflights, or reclassification needs; prepare and negotiate change orders in a timely manner.
• Implement and enforce QA/QC procedures for classified point clouds, feature coding, and PLS-CADD models prior to client delivery.
• Coordinate with production staff, aerial and terrestrial acquisition teams, survey crews, and PLS-CADD designers to align resources and deliverables.
• Provide guidance, technical review, and feedback to project technicians.
• Support other aerial and terrestrial mapping projects outside the utility sector as needed, based on business demand.

Skills and Qualifications:

• 5+ years of project management experience in electric utility, transmission/distribution, or geospatial and surveying services.
• In depth knowledge of aerial LiDAR/imagery acquisition and point cloud classification workflows for utility corridors and substations.
• Familiarity with terrestrial/mobile LiDAR scanning platforms and processing workflows.
• Familiarity with PLS-CADD modeling processes and utility engineering to the level of understanding what is required from a mapping sortie.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent utility client engagements and cross-functional technical teams.
• Proficiency in managing project financials, including budgets, invoices, and WIP.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and client management skills.
• ASPRS Certification preferred.
• Direct hands-on experience with PLS-CADD software and utility feature coding standards preferred.
• Experience with substation mapping, vegetation management, encroachment analysis, or clearance reporting for electric utilities preferred.
• Experience across multiple market verticals, including power delivery, renewables, and public infrastructure preferred.

Note: This job description is a general outline of the key responsibilities and qualifications of a Remote Sensing Project Lead - Electric Utility Aerial Mapping. It is not exhaustive and may be subject to change based on the specific needs of the organization and projects.

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative "One Team" mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision. We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.?

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.?

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.