Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead

kbr; United States; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR's Science and Space Division seeks a Senior Lidar Systems & Geospatial Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership for lidar system characterization, QA/QC, and advanced geospatial analysis, with emphasis on large-scale airborne lidar programs such as 3DEP. The role combines algorithm development, standards support, and mentorship of a multidisciplinary team.

The candidate will develop scalable Python tools, evaluate accuracy and density, and publish results.

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.

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

Airborne Lidar

3DEP QA/QC

ASPRS Standards

Point Density & Spatial Distribution

Voronoi Analysis

Vertical Accuracy

GNSS/TLS/Total Station Validation

Point-Cloud Processing

Python Geospatial Development

PDAL/laspy/LASTools

Large-Scale Data Processing

Algorithm Development

System Characterization

Technical Leadership

Strong Communication Skills

Education

MS in physics

PhD preferred

Tools

PDAL

laspy

LASTools

Job description

Title: 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
• 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 B