| Purpose of the Position: |
The UAH Lab for Applied Science (LAS), under the Earth System Science Center (ESSC) in Huntsville, Alabama, is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to support the Biological Diversity and Ecological Conservation (BDEC) research and application activities at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
This is an exciting opportunity to help advance one of NASA’s most compelling Earth science efforts: using satellite observations, models, in situ data, and geospatial analysis to better understand the richness of life on Earth, how and why it is changing, and how that knowledge can be translated into practical conservation action. The position will focus on technical aspects of remote sensing applications, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), imaging spectroscopy, and thermal, to support NASA BDEC activities through Earth observation analysis from satellite and airborne platforms, product development, and applied tools that help researchers and decision-makers respond to ecological change.
This Research Associate will contribute to the development, testing, and refinement of remote sensing workflows, including AI and foundation-model approaches that leverage NASA's Prithvi Foundation model, or others, in support of BDEC’s mission to better connect NASA Earth observations to various stakeholders, including scientists and land managers. Work will include processing and analyzing multi-source satellite data, building and evaluating data products, and supporting the translation of research outputs into practical, user-oriented tools and services. The role will also support cross-center collaboration, technical coordination, and capacity-building activities tied to BDEC’s priorities.
BDEC is designed to bridge NASA Earth science and on-the-ground decision-making by helping scientists, land and water managers, and conservation partners turn observations into action. The Virtual Center emphasizes early engagement with end users, cross-center collaboration, and the creation of actionable products and services that support biodiversity science, ecological conservation, and real-world stewardship of landscapes and ecosystems.
Duties / Responsibilities
● Develop and apply remote sensing workflows to support BDEC research and application activities at MSFC, including data preparation, analysis, validation, and product generation.
● Process and analyze multispectral and hyperspectral datasets, including optical, thermal, and SAR datasets for ecological and conservation applications, with emphasis on producing usable Earth observation products for end users.
● Support product development efforts using AI, including Prithvi and other NASA Earth observation datasets.
● Evaluate model and product performance through quantitative validation approaches.
● Contribute to the creation of prototype tools, tutorials, and documentation that support deployment and use of BDEC-related remote sensing products.
● Assist with the development of Earth observation workflows for biodiversity monitoring, phenology, habitat change, and other BDEC-relevant applications
● Translate complex technical results into products, presentations, and materials that are accessible to scientific collaborators and end users.
● Participate in cross-center collaboration, technical discussions, and stakeholder-facing efforts that support BDEC VC goals.
● Support capacity-building activities, including training and knowledge transfer related to remote sensing methods and BDEC workflows.
● Lead and contribute to peer-reviewed publications and present at scientific conferences
● Contribute to scientific publications, conference presentations, and other dissemination products.
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| Minimum Requirements: |
● A Bachelor’s degree in remote sensing, geospatial science, geography, Earth science, environmental science, engineering, or a related field
● 2 to 4 years of verifiable, full-time work experience.
● Demonstrated experience processing and analyzing satellite remote sensing data, including optical imagery and SAR.
● Strong technical skills in Earth observation data workflows, including image preprocessing, validation, and tool development.
● Experience applying geospatial machine learning or foundation model workflows to remote sensing datasets is highly desirable, especially for Earth observation applications.
● Proficiency in Python, R, or similar programming languages used for spatial data analysis, remote sensing automation, and geospatial modeling.
● Familiarity with NASA Earth science datasets, remote sensing products, and applied conservation or biodiversity applications.
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills and experience working with diverse groups of people.
● Ability to work collaboratively in a technical, interdisciplinary team and communicate clearly with scientists and stakeholders.
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| Desired Qualifications: |
● A Master's or PhD in remote sensing, geospatial science, geography, Earth science, environmental science, engineering, or a related field
● At least 1 year of verifiable full-time experience in remote sensing, geospatial analysis, or a closely related technical field.
● Experience with SAR processing and analysis for environmental or ecological applications.
● Experience working with HLS, hyperspectral, GeoNEX, Prithvi, or similar Earth observation data pipelines.
● Experience developing validation protocols for remote sensing products.
● Experience supporting NASA, federal, state, or conservation partners in applied Earth observation.
● Experience creating documentation, tutorials, and training materials for technical users.
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