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Support Scientist

Washington, DC

RESULTS. INNOVATION. VALUES. ACCOUNTABILITY. 

That’s RIVA. 

We’re a mission-driven IT services company and systems integrator supporting digital transformation and modernization for federal government agencies. Since 2009, we’ve partnered with our customers to solve complex challenges through smart, practical innovation to deliver real outcomes where they matter most. Our teams are made up of industry-leading experts who are passionate about doing great work and making a difference. We don’t just develop solutions, we support efforts that strengthen communities and serve the public good. 
 
RIVA’s culture is built on four core values: Results, Innovation, Values, and Accountability. They guide how we work, how we collaborate, and how we measure success. Our employee-first approach is rooted in trust, ownership, and meaningful work. By investing in our people and fostering a flexible, supportive environment, employees have the opportunity to grow their skills, contribute ideas, and make an impact from day one. all while supporting missions that matter. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

NOAA’s CoastWatch Program is seeking a Junior to Mid-Level Scientific Programmer to support a new initiative: identifying and implementing optimal methods for disseminating satellite information products via a cloud environment and function as a part of a team executing the overall CoastWatch mission.

This project focuses on hosting, distributing, and providing application-based access to STAR satellite information products. The goal is to modernize how operational end users access science-level data, ensuring that new products are readily available for user feedback to increase their operational readiness. You will help CoastWatch and PolarWatch maintain, sustain, and enhance capabilities in satellite polar oceanography and marine cryosphere data by navigating NESDIS cloud constraints, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) where appropriate, and prioritizing user-centric API solutions.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

  • This Scientific Programmer will work with the existing CoastWatch team in transitioning experimental and operational datasets to cloud-native delivery systems. You will be responsible for or will contribute to theser primary responsibilities, dependant upon knowledge, skills, and expertise:
    • Cloud Architecture & Dissemination: Evaluate and implement cloud hosting solutions for STAR satellite products, taking inspiration from existing NOAA Common Cloud Framework (NCCF) projects like the Wildland Fire Data Portal (WFDP) and the Space Weather Portal (SPOT).
    • API Development: Design and build robust data access APIs that allow end users to easily filter, download, and crop datasets to specific spatial and temporal regions of interest.
    • Geospatial Data Handling: Work extensively with satellite data products and processing in NetCDF, and cloud optimized formats (COG, ZARR, GEOTiF) for example, IceLynx data (Arctic C-band synthetic aperture radar [SAR] scenes, 6-hour, and daily mosaics).
    • Multi-Format Application Development: Build a prototype application capable of ingesting, fusing, and serving datasets in varying spatial and temporal resolutions, specifically handling both raster formats (e.g., NetCDF) and vector formats (e.g. Shapefiles).
    • Quality Assurance & Transition: Help provide "moderate assurance" services for products in transition. Develop QA and science maintenance capabilities that underpin the validity of these services for operational NOAA Line Office users.
    • Collaboration: Work with Cryosphere Science Teams, PolarWatch, and NESDIS stakeholders in addition to CoastWatch team members to align cloud solutions with both scientific production realities and strict operational constraints.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Geography, GIS, Meteorology, or a related quantitative field.
  • Experience: 2 to 5 years of professional experience in scientific programming, software engineering, or data engineering.
  • Cloud Computing: Hands-on experience working in AWS cloud environment to host, manage, and distribute large datasets.
  • Geospatial Data Expertise: Strong proficiency in manipulating and processing Earth observation data. Must have practical experience with both raster (NetCDF, HDF, GeoTIFF) and vector (Shapefile) formats.
  • Programming & APIs: Strong proficiency in Python (including libraries like Xarray, Rasterio, GeoPandas) and experience building RESTful APIs for data querying and subsetting.
  • Problem Solving: Proven ability to engineer practical, innovative solutions that balance technical constraints with end-user requirements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience or interest in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions to geospatial data challenges.
  • Prior experience working with NOAA, NESDIS, or federal cloud frameworks
  • Knowledge of OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) web services and standards.

The salary or salary range for this role reflects an estimated range informed by multiple compensation factors. Final offers may vary based on considerations such as relevant experience, education and training, critical skillsets, and overall business needs.


Pay range

$105,000 - $110,000 USD

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY & ACCOMMODATION

We believe great teams are built from different backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences, and we mean that beyond the buzzwords. 

RIVA is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of every race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need an accommodation at any point in our process, send an email to talent@rivasolutionsinc.com, we'll be happy to help.

VETERAN SUPPORT & ACCESSIBILITY

As a federal contractor, RIVA follows the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, supporting the employment and advancement of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. If you're a veteran, we encourage you to self-identify during the application process, it helps us track our hiring commitments and, in some cases, may support priority referral for open roles.

RIVA also invites applicants to voluntarily self-identify as having a disability during the application process, not because it affects your chances of being hired, but because it helps us measure how well we're living up to our commitments and identify where we can do better. Your response is confidential and entirely optional.

 

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