Remote Sensing & GIS Analyst - Precision Agriculture

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health insurance

Home office stipend

Professional development

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Remote Sensing & GIS Analyst to join a fully remote team serving agricultural regions worldwide, including South Africa. You will acquire and process satellite and drone imagery, build GIS models, and generate actionable insights for crop management and yield prediction.

The role emphasizes automation, data quality, and clear reporting. You will collaborate with agronomists and R&D teams, stay current with remote sensing methods, and support data-driven decisions in a

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Remote Sensing, GIS, Geography or related field with emphasis on agriculture.
• Minimum 7 years in remote sensing data processing and GIS analysis in agriculture.
• Proficient with ERDAS Imagine, ENVI, ArcGIS and QGIS.
• Strong image processing, classification and spatial statistics experience.
• Python scripting for automation (GDAL, Rasterio, Geopandas).

Responsibilities

• Acquire, process, and analyze multi-spectral, hyper-spectral, and thermal imagery for farms.
• Develop GIS models for land cover, vegetation health, and crop monitoring.
• Create field maps showing soil variability, yield potential, and irrigation needs.
• Integrate weather, soil and elevation data with imagery analyses.
• Produce visualizations, reports and dashboards for diverse clients.
• Maintain geodatabases and ensure data quality and integrity.

Skills

Remote sensing

GIS analysis

Python scripting

Image processing

Data visualization

Satellite imagery

Field mapping

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Master's or PhD in Remote Sensing/GIS/Geography

Tools

ERDAS Imagine

ENVI

ArcGIS

QGIS

GDAL

Rasterio

Geopandas

Planet imagery

Job description

About the Role

Our client is a forward-thinking agricultural technology firm looking for a highly skilled Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst to join their entirely remote team, supporting operations across various agricultural regions. This role is central to leveraging advanced geospatial technologies for precision agriculture, enabling data-driven decision-making for crop management, yield prediction, and resource optimization. You will be responsible for acquiring, processing, and analyzing satellite and aerial imagery, alongside other spatial data, to generate actionable insights for our diverse client base. This is an exceptional opportunity to work remotely and contribute to the future of sustainable and efficient farming practices globally, with a focus on South African agricultural landscapes.

Key Responsibilities

• Acquire, process, and analyze multi-spectral, hyper-spectral, and thermal satellite/aerial imagery for agricultural applications.
• Develop and implement GIS models and workflows for land cover classification, vegetation health assessment, and crop monitoring.
• Utilize remote sensing data to generate precise field maps, including soil variability, yield potential, and irrigation needs.
• Integrate various spatial datasets (e.g., weather data, soil maps, elevation models) with imagery analysis.
• Create high-quality visualizations, reports, and dashboards to communicate complex geospatial findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Develop and maintain geodatabases and ensure data integrity and quality control.
• Collaborate remotely with agronomists, farm managers, and R&D teams to provide tailored geospatial solutions.
• Stay current with advancements in remote sensing technologies, GIS software, and their applications in agriculture.
• Automate repetitive data processing tasks using scripting languages (e.g., Python).

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Remote Sensing, GIS, Geography, Geomatics, or a related field with a strong emphasis on agricultural applications.
• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in remote sensing data processing and GIS analysis, specifically within agriculture.
• Proficiency with remote sensing software (e.g., ERDAS Imagine, ENVI) and GIS platforms (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS).
• Strong experience in image processing, classification algorithms, and spatial statistics.
• Expertise in scripting languages such as Python (with libraries like GDAL, Rasterio, Geopandas) for automation and data analysis.
• Familiarity with various satellite data sources (e.g., Sentinel, Landsat, Planet) and drone imagery.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and data visualization skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects effectively in a remote setting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for remote collaboration.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive remote work benefits package.
• This includes flexible working hours, health insurance coverage, and a contribution towards a home office setup.
• We provide significant opportunities for professional development, including access to online courses, virtual conferences, and cutting-edge software training.
• Being a remote-first company, we foster a strong virtual team culture and offer a truly flexible work environment.
• Join our innovative team and help shape the future of data-driven agriculture from anywhere in ZA .