Senior EO/IR Image Analysis & Pattern Recognition Scientist

Rocket Lab Corp.; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division seeks a Senior Scientist II/Principal to develop, validate, and deploy advanced EO/IR image analysis and pattern recognition algorithms for space payloads. The Tucson site hosts cross‑disciplinary teams delivering mission‑critical sensing solutions.

You’ll build software tools, simulate EO/IR data, and present results to government customers, using MATLAB, Python, and C/C++. Senior level requires 8+ years; Principal 12+ years, TS/SCI eligibility, and U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in physics, optical sciences, computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline with demonstrated experience in image processing or EO/IR systems.
• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance with TS/SCI eligibility; U.S. citizenship required.
• 8+ years of professional experience (Senior Scientist II).
• Demonstrated experience with MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++ for analysis, modeling, simulation, or algorithm development.
• Strong experience designing, implementing, testing, and optimizing algorithms for EO/IR sensors, with a focus on image processing and pattern recognition.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document technical work and present results to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and optimize algorithms for EO/IR sensor data, including image processing and pattern recognition.
• Apply pattern recognition techniques to detect, classify, and track objects in EO/IR data for mission-critical applications.
• Build and enhance modeling/simulation libraries and image simulators for algorithm development and testing.
• Support existing programs, troubleshoot fielded systems, and improve deployed algorithms and system performance.
• Document and present algorithm performance results to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Image processing

Pattern recognition

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Strong communication

Team collaboration

Algorithm development

Education

Bachelor's degree in physics/optical sciences/computer science/electrical engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Job description

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division seeks a Senior Scientist II/Principal to develop, validate, and deploy advanced EO/IR image analysis and pattern recognition algorithms for space payloads. The Tucson site hosts cross‑disciplinary teams delivering mission‑critical sensing solutions.

You’ll build software tools, simulate EO/IR data, and present results to government customers, using MATLAB, Python, and C/C++. Senior level requires 8+ years; Principal 12+ years, TS/SCI eligibility, and U.S.