Geospatial Scientist, SAR Specialist

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is headquartered in San Francisco, California, Earth.

About the Role:

The Calibration and Analytics Ready Data Imaging Operations (CARDIO) team enables the generation of accurate and interoperable products from Planetscope satellites. There are multiple methods used to characterise image quality and ensure accuracy; from celestial maneuvers to harmonisation of earth-facing on-orbit imagery. The CARDIO team leverages data from third party sensors (e.g., MODIS, VIIRS, Landsat, Sentinel) in synergy with Planet’s multi-constellation Cubesats for the development of enhanced level 3 and level 4 “Fusion” products. The work of the CARDIO team is performed at scale and affects millions of images and terabytes of data. 

There is much work to be done in the fusion of SAR and optical data streams and this would be an exciting opportunity for an experienced researcher with extensive knowledge of SAR data to conduct novel R&D into next level Fusion products.

Impact You’ll Own:

• Develop next generation Analysis Ready SAR data
• Fusion of SAR data from multiple sources (public and commercial)
• Driving novel research into the fusion of Optical and SAR data
• Play a key role in the development of higher level derived products that exploit synergies between Optical and SAR data streams 
• Develop optimized software modules that can be applied at scale

What You Bring:

• A passion for Programming, Remote Sensing, Earth Sciences, and Geography
• 5+ years of experience working with SAR sensor data
• Expert knowledge of satellite remote sensing processing and analysis
• A strong scientific background in remote sensing with a focus on SAR
• Extensive experience leveraging scientific computing using Python in a Unix/Linux environment
• Hands-on, can-do attitude, great interpersonal skills, and ability to collaborate effectively

What Makes You Stand Out:

• PhD in a relevant scientific field
• A proven track record of developing and building successful algorithms utilizing SAR data
• Knowledge of how to scale code with cloud computing resources, e.g. AWS or GCP
• Solid background in machine learning

Benefits While Working at Planet:

• Comprehensive Health Plan
• Wellness program and onsite massages in specific offices
• Flexible Time Off
• Recognition Programs
• Commuter Benefits
• Learning and Tuition Reimbursement
• Parental Leave
• Offsites and Happy Hours
• Volunteering Benefits

Some Press About Us: 

Our CEO, Will Marshall featured on TED and featured in a Planet Blog

“Planet: Bringing Space Back Down to Earth”

Tiny, privately owned satellites are changing how we view the Earth features in NBC News

“Planet And Rocket Lab Create Mission Patch To Honor Women In Aerospace” —Planet Blog

Why we care so much about Belonging. 

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate  north star of Belonging, dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work with diversity, equity and inclusion.  If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply!  At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description.  We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts.  We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.