Senior Electro-Optical (EO) Imagery Scientist (TS/SCI)

Xcellent Technology Solutions, Inc; Springfield (VA); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tailored health care plans

Dental and vision coverage

Paid time off

401K with employer matching

GeoAI scholarship

Job summary

Xtal XTS is seeking an Electro-Optical Imagery Scientist to support NGA’s QA Accreditation of AI Models (AGAIM). You will analyze how environmental factors affect algorithm performance and design validation frameworks for EO data.

The role requires a TS/SCI with poly, deep GEOINT expertise, and proven experience evaluating AI/ML on operational EO datasets. Join a veteran-owned company committed to mission impact and employee growth.

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret / SCI clearance with willingness to obtain CI poly.
• PhD + 10+ years, MS + 13+ years, BS + 15+ years, or Associate + 16+ years of relevant experience.
• Deep expertise in EO collection systems, phenomenology, and image formation.
• Experience evaluating AI/ML on operational EO datasets to assess reliability across real-world variability.
• Experience exploiting EO imagery to locate OOIs and assess AI outputs.
• Experience developing, testing, or evaluating analytic methodologies or algorithms for validation frameworks.
• Proficiency with Python, MATLAB, and/or Google Earth Engine for large-scale datasets.
• Strong understanding of remote sensing principles and GEOINT tradecraft.
• Experience applying image quality metrics and environmental/sensor impact analysis.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate AI/ML algorithms using operational EO datasets.
• Design analytic methodologies and validation frameworks beyond ideal conditions.
• Assess how haze, shadows, off-nadir angles, weather, compression affect algorithm confidence.
• Validate AI outputs for analytical meaningfulness in GEOINT.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Google Earth Engine

EO imagery

Remote sensing

AI/ML evaluation

OOIs analysis

Validation frameworks

Image quality metrics

Data handling

Phenomenology

Image formation

Education

PhD + 10+ years experience

Master's degree + 13+ years

Bachelor's degree + 15+ years

Associate's degree + 16+ years

Tools

Google Earth Engine API

Earth Engine Toolkit

Job description

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how GEOINT is collected, analyzed, and operationalized. But before AI can support mission-critical decisions, it must be tested, validated, and trusted under real operational conditions.

This is a special opportunity to join us as an Electro-Optical (EO) Imagery Scientist to support the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) Assurance and Governance Office (QA) Accreditation of AI Models (AGAIM) program. Looked upon your expertise to help evaluate and validate AI-enabled GEOINT capabilities against operational imagery datasets to ensure AI systems perform reliably in the environments where mission success matters most. Working at the intersection of GEOINT tradecraft, remote sensing science, and AI/ML evaluation. You’ll analyze how environmental effects collection geometry, sensor limitations, and image quality impact algorithm performance to designing analytic methodologies and validation frameworks that test AI systems beyond ideal conditions.

Requirements

• Current active Top Secret / SCI clearance with the willingness to obtain CI poly.
• You’ve achieved an accomplishment of a PhD + 10 years / Master's degree + 13 / Bachelor's degree + 15 / Associate's degree + 16 / 18+ years of relevant experience.
• You’ve gained deep expertise in EO collection systems, phenomenology, and image formation to properly evaluate AI performance as understanding how imagery is created, how sensors behave, and how environmental conditions affect what an algorithm ‘sees’.
• Strong experience evaluating AI/ML algorithms using operational EO datasets to support in assessing whether an algorithm performs reliably across the variability complexity of real-world GEOINT collection.
• Experience exploiting EO imagery to determine occurrence and location of objects of interest (OOIs), in order to evaluate whether AI outputs are analytically meaningful.
• Experience developing, testing, or evaluating analytic methodologies or algorithms to support methodology design, testing framework, and measurable performance standards.
• Proficiency with Python, MATLAB, and/or Google Earth Engine as you will be handling large operational datasets, testing analytic workflows, and assessing model outputs.
• Deep understanding of remote sensing principles and GEOINT tradecraft.
• Experience applying image quality metrics and assessing environmental or sensor impacts in order to understand how haze, shadows, off-nadir angle, weather, compression, or sensor limitations affect algorithm confidence and reliability.

Desired

• Experience with computer vision and machine learning applied to EO imagery

About XTS

At XTS, we believe in taking care of our employees as much as we take care of our clients. As a veteran-owned company, we understand the importance of community, service, and fostering a culture where each team member can thrive. Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in the comprehensive benefits and growth opportunities we offer.

• tailored health care plans that fit your lifestyle
• dental and vision coverage
• paid time off (PTO)
• 401K with employer matching to secure your financial future
• our GeoAI scholarship to help our employees further develop their skills and expertise in this innovative field

As we push forward in the rapidly evolving field of AI, XTS is committed to providing employees with tools and opportunities to stay ahead. We take pride in delivering elite workforces to the Intelligence Community, making a real-world impact on critical missions. Join us and experience a company that invests in your success and professional growth.

Salary Range: $135,000-$145,000/annually, with final compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and alignment with the requirements of role.