Remote Image Processing Scientist Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Job Title

Agency

Department

Proposed Minimum Salary

Job Location

Job Type

Job Description

______________________________________________________________________________

The Research Specialist III, under general direction, will plan, design, develop, and maintain applications and tools that advance Natural Research Environmental Sciences (NRES) research and public engagement. The specialist will support interdisciplinary projects on water risk, weather extremes, precision agriculture, and natural resources by creating and maintaining high-quality data pipelines, reproducible analyses, and decision-support tools. The role includes maintaining existing NRES applications (such as IrrigWise, IrrigWise-PRISM, WeatherAndSoil, and IWET), developing new web-based tools, integrating various datasets (including sensor and remote sensing data), and applying AI and advanced analytics. The incumbent will collaborate closely with system members and stakeholders to deliver functional, user-friendly, and innovative solutions that support the mission of CAFNR and NRES.

This position is funded by restricted funds or a grant. Continued employment is contingent upon the renewal of restricted or grant funds.

The salary isdeterminedin accordance withthe University's compensation structure and will becommensuratewith the candidates' education and experience, within the assigned salary range for this position.

Responsibilities:

Advanced Application Development, Systems Integration, and Innovation

• Lead the design, development, enhancement, testing, deployment, and long-term maintenance of NRES-developed applications and decision-support tools (e.g., IrrigWise, IrrigWise-PRISM, WeatherAndSoil, IWET) to ensure high performance, scalability, reliability, and user accessibility.
• Architect and implement advanced software solutions and integrated platforms for environmental, agricultural, water resources, and geospatial research initiatives.
• Design and manage application programming interfaces (APIs), databases, cloud-based systems, and automated workflows that support research data collection, analytics, visualization, and reporting.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions involving artificial intelligence (AI), automation, machine learning, cloud computing, and advanced visualization techniques to enhance research capabilities and operational efficiency.
• Lead software version control, testing, cybersecurity compliance, deployment strategies, and technical documentation efforts consistent with industry and university best practices.

Advanced Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and Geospatial Systems

• Lead the integration, management, and analysis of large and complex datasets from multiple sources, including environmental sensors, weather and climate systems, remote sensing platforms, UAV imagery, geospatial databases, and research instrumentation.
• Develop and implement advanced analytics pipelines using AI, machine learning, statistical modeling, image analytics, computer vision, and geospatial analysis techniques to support research, predictive modeling, and decision-making.
• Design and execute workflows for remote sensing and image processing applications, including image classification, segmentation, object detection, vegetation indices, and change detection using UAV and satellite imagery.
• Develop GIS-based tools, dashboards, and visualization systems for spatial analysis, environmental monitoring, and research dissemination.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams to translate scientific objectives into scalable analytical and computational solutions.

Research Technology Leadership and Field Operations

• Provide technical leadership for deployment, calibration, integration, and maintenance of laboratory and field-based environmental monitoring systems, including rain/flow sensors, soil moisture sensors, water quality instrumentation, and automated data logging systems.
• Lead UAV operations, GNSS/RTK implementation, and ground-truth sampling activities to support high-quality spatial and environmental data acquisition.
• Develop and oversee QA/QC procedures for field and laboratory data collection, processing, validation, and storage.
• Coordinate technical support for research projects involving environmental sensing technologies, geospatial systems, automation platforms, and data acquisition infrastructure.
• Assist principal investigators and project teams with technology planning, proposal development, and implementation of advanced research methodologies.

Strategic Collaboration, Training, and Technical Support

• Serve as a senior technical resource and subject matter expert for faculty, staff, students, collaborators, and external stakeholders regarding NRES applications, research technologies, and analytical systems.
• Develop and deliver technical training programs, workshops, presentations, and educational resources related to software systems, geospatial tools, AI applications, remote sensing technologies, and environmental data workflows.
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, user manuals, operational procedures, and support materials for applications, systems, and research technologies.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting, systems diagnostics, and technical consultation for research computing environments, software applications, databases, and field technologies.
• Mentor junior staff, student workers, graduate assistants, and research personnel in programming, data analytics, geospatial technologies, and research application development.

Research Program Support and Administrative Responsibilities

• Assist with planning, coordination, and implementation of research and extension projects involving technology integration, data systems, and advanced analytics.
• Contribute to grant proposal preparation, technical reporting, publications, presentations, and dissemination of research outcomes.
• Participate in strategic planning efforts related to digital research infrastructure, emerging technologies, and data management initiatives within NRES.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, data governance standards, cybersecurity requirements, and applicable federal/state regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, - Management Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or a closely related field.
• Eight years of programming experience with solid knowledge of current programming languages and methodologies.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and work independently as well as in teams.
• Proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages: C, C++, JavaScript, Visual .NET, Java, R, Python.
• Strong background in working with large datasets and data-intensive applications.
• Familiarity with multiple operating systems and platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Mac environments.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a higher education or research environment.
• Experience with machine learning, web applications, and tool development, particularly in environmental, agricultural, or natural resources contexts.
• Experience designing and implementing workflows for environmental data analytics (Python/R), remote sensing (UAV/satellite), and machine learning for image classification/segmentation.
• Experience installing and maintaining environmental sensors (rain/flow, soil moisture, water quality), conducting UAV flights, utilizing GNSS/RTK, and performing ground-truth sampling with QA/QC.
• Strong understanding of software development processes (version control, testing, documentation, deployment).
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, including AI, big data, and automation, and their applications in research and decision-support tools.
• Knowledge of systems architecture, network security, cloud computing, and data governance as they relate to research data and web applications.
• Ability to design and implement robust workflows and pipelines for environmental and geospatial data analytics and visualization.

Other Requirements:

• Ability and willingness to work in laboratory and outdoor field environments (heat, humidity, uneven terrain) as needed for sensor deployment, data collection, and UAV operations.
• Ability to travel to on-campus and off-campus research and field sites, which may occasionally require early morning, evening, or weekend work aligned with field and data collection schedules.
• Valid driver's license (or ability to obtain) and eligibility to operate university vehicles, in accordance with university policy.
• Willingness to obtain and maintain any required certifications for operating UAVs/remote sensing platforms and to follow all university and regulatory safety protocols.
• Ability to lift moderately heavy objects.
• Ability to exert heavy force.
• Work beyond normal business hours and/or work on weekends.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.