Earth Science Software Engineer (ES4)

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Earth Science Software Engineer to support the cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, and web applications for two research teams at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center: the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) project and the Disasters Team.

This position will serve as the technical bridge between scientific discovery and operational deployment. The selected candidate will design, automate, and maintain the data processing and software systems that allow critical Earth observation and meteorological data to flow from NASA satellites to real-time decision-makers. Whether optimizing Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) for SPoRT's real-time weather research or building out Python/GIS automation for the new AWS-based Disasters Portal, you will ensure NASA's science products are resilient, scalable, and highly available for global societal benefit.

Note, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

Responsibilities

The Earth Science Software Engineer will split their time between the SPoRT and Disasters teams, serving as the critical bridge between scientific discovery and operational deployment. This role focuses on software development, data pipeline design, and the transition of research into production environments.

Data Pipelines & Processing Automation

• Design End-to-End Pipelines: Develop and automate robust Python-based data processing pipelines for the ingestion, formatting, and metadata curation of real-time satellite feeds and high-volume geospatial datasets.
• Standardize GIS Workflows: Partner with NASA Earthdata GIS to design and automate GIS-based data dissemination protocols, web services, and SpatioTemporal Asset Catalogs (STAC), enabling the seamless integration of derived scientific products into public-facing web environments.

Putting Science Code into Production (Research-to-Operations)

• Software Implementation: Support the implementation, optimization, and scaling of scientific code and atmospheric models developed by researchers, ensuring they are stable and performing as intended in production.
• Streamline Delivery: Utilize containerization and automated workflows to transition research code from local developer workstations into reliable, cloud-native operational architectures.

Real-Time Visualizations & Web Tools

• Develop Visualization Software: Build and maintain software for real-time data visualization and web applications that convey critical weather products and hazards data to the public and stakeholders.
• Portal Integration: Contribute technical expertise to building out data handling solutions that feed directly into the new AWS-based Disasters Portal, maximizing data accessibility and responsiveness.

Documentation & Collaboration

• Open Science Documentation: Create clear documentation, including intuitive Jupyter Notebooks, for internal team reference, system architecture, and curated training modules for external stakeholders.
• Cross-Team Integration: Actively engage with NASA scientists, engineers, and external end-users (such as the National Weather Service) to align software capabilities with evolving research and operational needs.

Education

• Degree in Earth Science, Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Remote Sensing or a related technical field from an ABET-accredited university.
• 10+ years’ experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
• 8+ years’ experience with a Master’s degree.

Desired Technical Experience

• Python Proficiency: Extensive experience with Python for data processing and automation, including the scientific stack (Pandas, NumPy, Dask).
• GIS Automation: Deep understanding of OGC web service standards (WMS, WFS, WMTS) and experience programmatically automating service delivery using large scale remotely sensed data.
• Version Control & Workflows: Strong command of Git/GitHub, branching strategies, and collaborative code reviews.
• Linux Environment: Solid experience with the Linux command line and shell scripting (Bash) for navigating research environments.
• Cloud & Infrastructure: Experience deploying applications in AWS environments and utilizing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation).

Additional Experience:

• Containerization: Experience using Docker or Singularity to containerize data pipelines and scientific software.
• Front-End Development: Ability to create user interfaces for web apps (familiarity with React or the NASA Horizon standard is a major plus).

#ASED #CodePlus #Amentum

Compensation Details:

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off and holidays

• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)

• Educational reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Tax-saving options

• Disability and life insurance

• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting:

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed,  marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low-income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language at Labor Laws Posters.