Senior AI/ML Geospatial Data Scientist

Geo Owl · SDVOSB · Est. 2013

Senior AI/ML Geospatial Data Scientist

NGA MAVEN PROGRAM · EO/SAR · AI/ML DATA SCIENCE · SENIOR

Overhead imagery doesn't label itself — and machine learning models don't build themselves from random data. On NGA Maven, the Senior AI/ML Geospatial Data Scientist is the person who brings statistical rigor, geospatial expertise, and software capability together to ensure the data that feeds Maven's models is selected, processed, and partitioned for maximum analytical value. This is quantitative science applied to national security at scale.

Role Overview

As a Senior AI/ML Geospatial Data Scientist, you'll perform data analysis using statistical and quantitative methods, develop visualizations that support decision-making, and build software to monitor and manage data pipeline tasks. You'll lead the design and application of methods to identify, collect, process, and analyze large volumes of EO and SAR imagery data — integrating emerging sensors, evaluating training/test/validation data splits, and building the curation and labeling tools that keep Maven's model pipeline moving. You'll work across the mission, collaborating with imagery scientists, data engineers, and the government customer.

Source-Derived Role Summary

The Data Scientist shall perform data analysis via statistical and quantitative methods, develop visualizations to support decision making, and develop software to enable thorough monitoring and management of data pipeline tasks. Position supports EO and SAR sensor modalities on the NGA Maven program.

A Day in the Life

• ✓ Conduct analysis of Maven data holdings to evaluate impact on ML model development: assess data diversity, training/test/validation splits, and recommend partition strategies
• ✓ Integrate emerging EO/SAR sensors into Maven pipelines — assessing metadata, format, and schema differences and building the ETL workflows to ingest new data
• ✓ Build and maintain labeling campaign management tools: track unlabeled vs. labeled data, campaign status, and API-based transfer of label task information between platforms
• ✓ Develop and apply imagery curation algorithms and analytic tools for acquisition prioritization and chipping — including web scraping for curation per Maven data priorities
• ✓ Build geospatial visualization and filtering tools that integrate with the existing Data Management Platform
• ✓ Apply ETL and statistical methods to support data cleansing, analyst workflow efficiencies, and intelligence requirement fulfillment

Why This Role Matters

Mission Impact

The data science work you do on MAVEN determines the quality and operational readiness of AI/ML models used for real-world intelligence. How you curate, partition, and analyze training data shapes how well those models perform when it counts.

Geo Owl Impact

Your quantitative rigor and software capability strengthen Geo Owl's technical credibility on one of NGA's most sophisticated programs — and expand our ability to deliver mission-critical data science support.

Your Growth

You'll develop rare dual expertise in geospatial AI/ML data science and national security GEOINT — working with both EO and SAR modalities on production ML pipelines, in an environment where your statistical and engineering decisions have direct operational impact.

Core Responsibilities

• ▸ Integrate emerging EO/SAR sensors into Maven pipelines; assess ETL process changes needed for new metadata, formats, and data structures
• ▸ Lead the design and application of methods to identify, collect, process, and analyze large volumes of data to build and enhance products, processes, and systems
• ▸ Evaluate and recommend solutions for partitioning emerging sensor data into effective training, test, and validation splits for ML model development
• ▸ Build imagery curation algorithms and web-scraping tools per Maven data priorities; integrate multiple data and intelligence sources to address gaps
• ▸ Develop labeling campaign management software that tracks unlabeled/labeled data status and enables API-based movement of label task information between platforms
• ▸ Build tools to filter and visualize data geospatially, enable feedback entry, and integrate with the existing Data Management Platform
• ▸ Conduct analysis of overall Maven data holdings to support development of performant AI/ML models satisfying operational user requirements

Required Qualifications

• ✓ Active TS/SCI
• ✓ Experience working with AI/ML technologies and data systems
• ✓ Experience working with multiple file types including geospatial formats, JSON, and XML
• ✓3+ years of experience performing quantitative analysis, developing visualizations, and processing complex data to create data-driven insights; includes data manipulation and ETL experience with SQL and NoSQL
• ✓ Development experience in Python and other languages for data cleaning and manipulation

Preferred Qualifications

• ▸ Experience applying NLP algorithms to extract data from documents
• ▸ Experience with NGA analytic modernization efforts: SOM, computer vision, automated collection, or automated reporting; familiarity with data standardization best practices
• ▸ Demonstrated expertise in math, statistics, and quantitative analysis; experience with classification, regression, clustering, data reduction, and causal modeling techniques

Tools, Technologies & Tradecraft

Python SQL / NoSQL AI/ML Technologies EO/SAR Data Geospatial File Formats JSON / XML ETL Pipelines Data Visualization NLP [Preferred] Computer Vision [Preferred] Statistical Modeling [Preferred]

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

• ▸ You think statistically about data — you understand why training/test/validation splits matter and you design them with model performance in mind
• ▸ You build software that other people can use — your tools are reliable, documented, and integrate cleanly with existing platform infrastructure
• ▸ You're comfortable with ambiguity around emerging sensors — you can assess an incomplete spec, make sound assumptions, and build toward a workable solution
• ▸ You treat data curation as science — you understand how imagery diversity, geographic coverage, and scene characteristics affect model generalizability
• ▸ You foster cross-team collaboration — you share methods, explain your reasoning, and help the broader team work more efficiently

Is This Role For You?

✔ Great Fit

You are a data scientist with applied AI/ML experience who wants to work on geospatial problems with national security stakes. You're equally comfortable writing quantitative analysis and building pipeline tools — and you want your work to feed directly into model development that matters operationally.

✘ May Not Be For You

This may not be the right fit if you prefer model-building or inference work over data curation and pipeline engineering, or if geospatial file formats and sensor phenomenology feel outside your area of interest.

Career Growth & Professional Value

This role develops advanced data science expertise at the intersection of geospatial AI and national security — a domain where practitioners with both quantitative depth and systems-level pipeline experience are genuinely scarce. You'll build hands-on experience with EO and SAR data, production ML data operations, and NGA enterprise tooling in a classified environment. That combination is a strong accelerant for senior data scientist, technical lead, or AI/ML engineering roles in the defense and intelligence community.

About Geo Owl

Geo Owl is a mission-first geospatial intelligence and national security company supporting defense, intelligence, and Government missions. We value tradecraft, humility, precision, service, accountability, and people who care deeply about the mission and the team. On roles like this, our goal is to give serious professionals work that is technically meaningful, operationally relevant, and connected to outcomes that matter.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) • Wilmington, NC • Est. 2013 • Military Friendly Employer

Benefits:

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Health Insurance (Geo Owl pays 80%+ of the premium).

401k matching.

Dental, Vision, and other supplemental insurance plans available.

Company-paid short-term and long-term disability and life insurance.

Peer-to-Peer spot bonuses.

120 hours of PTO per year plus federal holidays.

Fully Paid Military Leave: *You make your full Geo Owl salary while you are on military duty*

Exiting the Military? Apply to our Military Transition Program for key insights into making the transition to civilian life from people who have been there before!

Engage with Your Team!

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About Us:

Our mission is to empower EVERYONE with geospatial technologies.

Geo Owl is a premier provider of geospatial intelligence services, delivering cutting-edge solutions to the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and enterprises around the globe. Our comprehensive products and services include advanced geospatial analysis, imagery intelligence, remote sensing analysis, data science, and space-based custom intelligence solutions. At Geo Owl, we are dedicated to leveraging the latest analytic principles and technology to support and enhance the missions of our clients.

Our core values—innovation, integrity, and excellence—drive everything we do. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of geospatial intelligence to ensure our clients receive the most accurate, timely, and actionable intelligence possible. Integrity is at the heart of our operations; we uphold the highest standards of ethics and accountability in our work. Striving for excellence is not just a goal but a standard; we consistently aim to exceed expectations in every project.

Geo Owl's culture is built on collaboration, continuous learning, and respect. We cultivate an environment where team members can grow both personally and professionally. Our team is composed of passionate, dedicated experts who are always ready to support each other. We value work-life balance, offering flexible working arrangements and a supportive workplace where everyone feels valued.

At Geo Owl, we invest in our employees' growth and development. We provide ongoing training, career advancement opportunities, and a platform to work on impactful projects that make a real difference. Our team enjoys a strong sense of camaraderie and purpose, knowing that their work contributes to national security and global stability. If you are looking for a dynamic, rewarding career in geospatial intelligence, Geo Owl is the place for you. Join us and be part of a team that is shaping the future of geospatial intelligence.

A Note From Our CEO:

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Our 14 Principles:

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Equal Opportunities
Geo Owl is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, marital status, military status, genetic predisposition, or any other basis protected by law.

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