Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead

KBR Careers; Sioux Falls (SD); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

AD&D

Flexible spending account

Disability insurance

Paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

KBR's Science and Space Division seeks a Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership in lidar system characterization, QA/QC, accuracy assessment, and scalable geospatial analysis for large-scale airborne lidar programs such as 3DEP.

The role emphasizes Python-based tooling, development of advanced evaluation methods, and mentorship of multidisciplinary teams. Hybrid remote/onsite in Sioux Falls, SD with US residency requirements.

Qualifications

• MS in physics, mathematics, remote sensing, geospatial science, geomatics, environmental science, or related field; PhD preferred.
• 8+ years of lidar-related experience.
• Fundamental programming skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical QA/QC and characterization of airborne lidar datasets and derived elevation products against 3DEP, ASPRS, contractual, and project-specific requirements.
• Develop and implement advanced methods for evaluating lidar point density, spatial distribution, completeness, and localized deficiencies, including point-based and Voronoi-based density approaches.
• Perform vertical accuracy assessments using GNSS, total-station, terrestrial laser scanning, UAS, and other independent reference datasets; evaluate bias, RMSE, variability, and spatial error patterns and metrics.
• Investigate lidar anomalies and determine whether observed deficiencies are associated with acquisition, calibration, classification, processing, or product-generation workflows.
• Develop scalable Python-based tools for processing tens of millions of points per tile and thousands of production datasets using libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, GeoPandas, Shapely, PDAL, laspy, and Rasterio.
• Design automated QA/QC workflows, acceptance metrics, statistical summaries, density histograms, spatial deficiency maps, and project-level exception reporting.
• Conduct applied research to improve lidar quality metrics and evaluate limitations of conventional raster-based density and accuracy assessment methods.
• Perform sensitivity analyses addressing point-return selection, edge effects, spatial resolution, density thresholds, and algorithm configuration.
• Support development and interpretation of ASPRS lidar density and positional accuracy standards and related industry guidance.
• Evaluate emerging airborne, terrestrial, UAS, and spaceborne lidar technologies and their potential application to national-scale 3D mapping programs.
• Provide technical review of methodologies, specifications, statements of work, contractor deliverables, and research products.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, analysts, and software developers and communicate complex technical findings to program managers, government stakeholders, industry partners, and researchers.
• Work with USGS representatives at EROS and the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) to incorporate lidar data quality products and processes into standards and specifications.
• Support ECCOE System Characterization team with commercial data quality analysis

Skills

Programming fundamentals

Python scripting

Strong communication skills

Lidar & geospatial analysis

Education

MS in physics, mathematics, remote sensing, geospatial science, geomatics, environmental science, or related field

PhD preferred

Tools

PDAL/laspy/LASTools

Job description

Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead

BELONG. CONNECT. GROW. with KBR.

Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers. But we all share one goal: to improve the world responsibly and safely.

KBR’s Science and Space Division is seeking a Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead to support the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center’s EROS Calibration/Validation Center of Excellence (ECCOE) project. This is a full-time, specialized position that provides technical leadership for lidar system characterization, quality assurance, accuracy assessment, and advanced geospatial analysis, with emphasis on large-scale airborne lidar programs such as the USGS managed 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The role combines lidar subject-matter expertise, algorithm and software development, standards support, and technical leadership to develop rigorous, scalable methods for evaluating point-cloud quality, density, spatial consistency, and elevation accuracy. The Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead will write and publish results for peer-reviewed publications and actively participate in professional organizations, conferences, and workshops.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead technical QA/QC and characterization of airborne lidar datasets and derived elevation products against 3DEP, ASPRS, contractual, and project-specific requirements.
• Develop and implement advanced methods for evaluating lidar point density, spatial distribution, completeness, and localized deficiencies, including point-based and Voronoi-based density approaches.
• Perform vertical accuracy assessments using GNSS, total-station, terrestrial laser scanning, UAS, and other independent reference datasets; evaluate bias, RMSE, variability, and spatial error patterns and metrics.
• Investigate lidar anomalies and determine whether observed deficiencies are associated with acquisition, calibration, classification, processing, or product-generation workflows.
• Develop scalable Python-based tools for processing tens of millions of points per tile and thousands of production datasets using libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, GeoPandas, Shapely, PDAL, laspy, and Rasterio.
• Design automated QA/QC workflows, acceptance metrics, statistical summaries, density histograms, spatial deficiency maps, and project-level exception reporting.
• Conduct applied research to improve lidar quality metrics and evaluate limitations of conventional raster-based density and accuracy assessment methods.
• Perform sensitivity analyses addressing point-return selection, edge effects, spatial resolution, density thresholds, and algorithm configuration.
• Support development and interpretation of ASPRS lidar density and positional accuracy standards and related industry guidance.
• Evaluate emerging airborne, terrestrial, UAS, and spaceborne lidar technologies and their potential application to national-scale 3D mapping programs.
• Provide technical review of methodologies, specifications, statements of work, contractor deliverables, and research products.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, analysts, and software developers and communicate complex technical findings to program managers, government stakeholders, industry partners, and researchers.
• Work with USGS representatives at EROS and the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) to incorporate lidar data quality products and processes into standards and specifications.
• Support ECCOE System Characterization team with commercial data quality analysis

Qualifications

• Minimum of MS in physics, mathematics, remote sensing, geospatial science, geomatics, environmental science, or a related field; PhD preferred
• 8+ years of progressive, lidar-related experience
• Fundamental programming skills

Desired Skills

• Airborne Lidar
• 3DEP QA/QC
• ASPRS Standards
• Point Density & Spatial Distribution
• Voronoi Analysis
• Vertical Accuracy
• GNSS/TLS/Total Station Validation
• Point-Cloud Processing
• DEMs & Terrain Analysis
• Python Geospatial Development
• PDAL/laspy/LASTools
• Large-Scale Data Processing
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• Algorithm Development
• System Characterization
• Technical Leadership
• Strong Communication Skills

Work Location

• This position supports a team anchored in Sioux Falls, SD, and is offered in a hybrid remote/onsite work environment. Fully remote work will be considered for the right candidate.
• Three years of continuous residency in the US for issuance of a Government Security credential is required.

Special Requirements

• Three years of continuous residency in the US for issuance of a Government Security credential.
• The candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a national agency check and background investigation after hiring to obtain a badge for government facility access and user account.

Experience and/or Education in lieu of these qualifications will be reviewed for applicability to meet these requirements.

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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