Senior Software Architect - Computer Vision and Remote Sensing

The Computer Vision and Remote Sensing Software Group at Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is looking for an experienced Software Architect to join our team of developers operating at the forefront of Computer Vision technology applied to satellite imagery.

Our product runs a data processing pipeline that processes a high volume of satellite imagery to automatically generate realistic, simulation- and game-ready textured 3D geometric models of real-world scenes for leading-edge government research programs.

The successful candidate for this position will have a strong passion to create "big data" software that is efficient and fault tolerant, easy to deploy whether on a laptop or to the cloud, and convenient for production users and agile researchers alike. In this role you will join a team of algorithm developers, applied scientists, and software developers to create, improve, and maintain production-level software.

Our group collaborates with world-renowned university researchers to find innovative solutions to challenging real-world problems for intelligence and defense communities. We offer an exciting, relevant career with opportunities for professional growth and mentorship.

The opportunity for career advancement and continued learning at ARA goes beyond project work. We strive to identify cross-training opportunities and encourage staff to become involved in upcoming R&D efforts as well as inject new ideas into our longstanding operational programs. At ARA, we foster an environment where technical staff are empowered to research and develop their own ideas - with resources and support from a strong internal technical team and external partners. You can expect day-to-day to have flexibility in choosing the level of autonomy suited to you, while at the same time enjoying a challenging technical career with great opportunities for personal growth.

Senior Software Architect - Computer Vision and Remote Sensing Responsibilities include:

• Lead software design discussions, decision analysis and resolution, and manage a road map for development with respect to the long-term structure of our code base and modules
• Steward the existing code with our team, applying profiling-based optimization and refactoring to improve modularity and performance in a distributed, containerized processing environment
• Create developer and user documentation
• Develop code that is suitable for containerized deployment. Currently, we use primarily Python and C++, with some go code.
• Work with the team under the guidance of our quality assurance staff to increase or maintain test coverage and assure code quality. Coach other staff to ensure the team is focused on code quality.
• Learn and maintain awareness of the ongoing services available in AWS and other cloud environments, and assist with designing the approach to deploying our code in the cloud
• Participate in in-depth design discussions and technical exchanges within the CVRS team and with external customer representatives
• Work with our domain leads to understanding our complex, multidisciplinary computer vision, and data processing workflow at a sufficient level that enables good software engineering decision-making

Senior Software Architect - Computer Vision and Remote Sensing Qualifications:

• US citizenship required (green card holders are not eligible for this position)
• Eligibility to apply for and hold a U.S. security clearance (selected applicants will undergo a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements at the time of employment)
• Relocation to the Raleigh, NC metropolitan area required
• Minimal travel (~2-4 trips/year) required for collaboration with customers and partners
• Fluent in Python including knowledge of CPython internals
• Fluent in the application of software design patterns in software system design
• Experience with Python IDEs, toolchains, profiling, and debugging
• Proven experience developing containerized services for the AWS cloud environment
• Experience with container orchestration using Kubernetes or similar
• Skilled in analyzing, troubleshooting, and refactoring existing source code
• Proficient in best practices for agile software development

Senior Software Architect - Computer Vision and Remote Sensing Education and Experience Qualifications:

B.S. Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or similar technical field with 12 years of relevant experience OR M.S. with 9 years of relevant experience OR Ph.D. with 7 years of relevant experience

Who is ARA?

Do you want to work for a purpose? Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 1,700 employee owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.

ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, "Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit" sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice with what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women's Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.

To find out more about what the Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)