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Remote Observational Research Jobs in California

Tempus

Data Scientist II, Outcomes Research

Redwood City, CA · On-site +1

$100K - $150K/yr

Strong data manipulation and analytical skills tailored to observational/real-world data. * Deep ... Additionally, for remote roles open to individuals in unincorporated Los Angeles - including remote ...

We Vote

Newsletter Writer/Content Developer

Oakland, CA · On-site +1

Newsletter Writer / Content Developer - Volunteer Position - This is a remote role (within the US ... You will assist with content planning and may also be asked to help with research, interviewing ...

We Vote

Political Data Intern - Fall 2026

Oakland, CA · On-site +1

$17 - $22.75/hr

Remote within the US About WeVote WeVote is a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote nonprofit startup and a ... We observe that many voters are busy, distracted, and impatient. We have a goal of providing a ...

You.com

Senior Search Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$190K - $260K/yr

... complex research into practical, scalable applications. This is a remote position open to ... S. holidays observed and a week shutdown in December to rest and recharge* * A competitive health ...

Mantari

Software Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site +1

Translate novel research prototypes into production-grade code You'll work closely with Mantari ... Experience with numerical weather prediction, remote-sensing data, or geospatial intelligence

You.com

Senior Backend Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$200K - $250K/yr

This is a remote position open to candidates based anywhere in the United States. We give ... S. holidays observed and a week shutdown in December to rest and recharge* * A competitive health ...

Infinity Marketing

Data Analyst

Riverside, CA · Remote

REMOTE - US Residents Only  We are looking for a thorough and analytical Data Analyst to ... Create and carry out ad hoc research to satisfy the needs of several divisions of the business.

San Diego State University Research Foundation

$6.0K - $6.6K/mo

SPECIFIC DUTIES This is a 40-hour a week hybrid position with remote flexibility, typically working ... The Academy is a project of the San Diego State University Research Foundation, which is grant ...

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Remote Observational Research information

What is remote observational research?

Remote observational research is a method where researchers study participants or environments without being physically present. This is often done using digital tools such as video calls, remote sensors, or online platforms, allowing data collection from a distance. The approach is valuable for reaching wider or hard-to-access populations and can be more convenient and cost-effective. Remote observational research is commonly used in fields like healthcare, education, and social sciences to observe behaviors, interactions, or outcomes in real time or asynchronously.

What is the difference between Remote Observational Research vs Remote User Experience Research?

AspectRemote Observational ResearchRemote User Experience Research
Primary FocusObserving user behavior in natural settings without interferenceGathering user feedback and experiences to improve products
MethodsVideo recordings, ethnographic observation, contextual inquirySurveys, interviews, usability testing, remote sessions
Work EnvironmentField settings, participants' homes, online observation toolsRemote testing platforms, video calls, online surveys
Required SkillsObservation techniques, data analysis, ethnographyUser research, interview skills, data interpretation

Remote Observational Research and Remote User Experience Research both involve understanding user behavior remotely. Observational research emphasizes watching users in their natural environment, while UX research focuses on collecting user feedback to enhance digital products. Both roles often require similar skills and tools, but their core methods and objectives differ.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in remote observational research and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Remote Observational Research often face challenges such as maintaining data quality across diverse and decentralized study sites, ensuring participant compliance, and managing technical issues with remote data collection tools. To address these, it's important to establish clear protocols, provide thorough training to all study participants and collaborators, and utilize reliable remote monitoring technologies. Regular virtual check-ins and prompt technical support can also help mitigate issues quickly, fostering a productive and collaborative remote research environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a remote observational researcher?

To thrive as a Remote Observational Researcher, you need strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a background in research methods, often supported by a degree in psychology, sociology, public health, or a related field. Familiarity with data collection tools, survey software, statistical analysis programs (such as SPSS or R), and remote collaboration platforms is typically required. Excellent communication, self-motivation, and organizational skills help you effectively manage independent work and present findings clearly. These capabilities are essential for ensuring accurate data collection and analysis, enabling impactful insights in a remote research setting.
What are the most commonly searched types of Observational Research jobs in California? The most popular types of Observational Research jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Remote Observational Research jobs in California? For Remote Observational Research jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Remote Observational Research jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Remote Observational Research jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Remote Observational Research jobs? Cities in California with the most Remote Observational Research job openings:
Remote Observational Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Remote Observational Research job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution.

Rainmaker Fellow, Satellite Remote Sensing

Rainmaker Technology Corporation

El Segundo, CA • On-site, Remote

$62K - $81K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

About Rainmaker

Rainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud-seeding system to increase precipitation, improve water availability, and address severe-weather challenges. We combine atmospheric science, weather-resistant UAS, radar and satellite observations, numerical weather prediction, novel sensing systems, and sustainable seeding technologies to design, operate, and evaluate precipitation-enhancement programs.

Satellite observations provide the coverage Rainmaker needs to understand clouds across large regions, while our radar, aircraft, UAS, and in-situ sensors provide unusually valuable observations for validation and improvement.

About the Fellowship

The Rainmaker Satellite Remote Sensing Fellowship is a paid, full-time research appointment for exceptional undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, recent graduates, and other early-career researchers.

You will join Rainmaker's satellite remote-sensing group and work alongside our researchers on a scoped project drawn from the team's current research priorities and defined in close collaboration with your research lead or mentor. Project matching will consider available data, mentor capacity, team needs, and your background. You will take responsibility for a concrete computational workstream while contributing to ongoing retrieval, validation, automation, and operational-support work across the team.

Examples of the Work

Fellowship projects change with Rainmaker's research and operational priorities. Examples of the work our satellite remote-sensing team may pursue include:

  • Benchmarking and improving microwave-sounder retrievals using Rainmaker in-cloud measurements, radar, geostationary imagery, and model fields.
  • Fusing intermittent polar-orbiting observations with frequent geostationary imagery to track cloud properties between overpasses.
  • Automating an existing manual satellite-analysis workflow used by Rainmaker scientists or operators.
  • Validating cloud-phase, cloud-top, precipitation, moisture, temperature, or related satellite products against Rainmaker observations.
  • Developing a bounded retrieval or satellite data product for research or operational use.
What You'll Do
  • Acquire, process, collocate, and quality-control microwave, polar-orbiting, and geostationary satellite observations.
  • Reproduce an existing retrieval or operational baseline before testing improvements.
  • Validate satellite products against radar, NWP, soundings, surface observations, and Rainmaker aircraft, UAS, or in-situ measurements.
  • Quantify detection skill, bias, uncertainty, spatial representativeness, latency, coverage, and failure modes by meteorological regime.
  • Implement physically motivated, statistical, or ML retrieval improvements when justified by the project and data.
  • Build documented, reproducible workflows that other Rainmaker scientists can run and extend.
  • Present findings to satellite scientists, radar scientists, meteorologists, operators, and technical leadership.
  • Deliver a final artifact such as a collocation dataset, retrieval benchmark, automated data product, error analysis, fusion prototype, or research paper.
What We're Looking For
  • Current undergraduate, master's, or PhD students; postdoctoral researchers; recent graduates; and other early-career researchers are all eligible.
  • Strong quantitative and programming ability, preferably in Python.
  • Experience with atmospheric remote sensing, satellite meteorology, physics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
  • Interest in microwave sounders, polar-orbiting observations, geostationary imagery, retrieval methods, or scientific data products.
  • Ability to implement a scientific method, establish a baseline, and validate the result carefully.
  • Comfort working with large, imperfect, multidimensional observational datasets.
  • High agency and the ability to take responsibility for a bounded workstream while collaborating with experienced researchers.
  • Clear written and verbal communication.
  • Availability for full-time, on-site work in El Segundo for the agreed appointment.
What Success Looks Like

By the end of the fellowship, you will have answered a clearly defined scientific or operational question and delivered a trusted computational result the satellite remote-sensing team can continue using. Depending on the project, that might be a quality-controlled validation dataset, retrieval benchmark or improvement, error analysis, fusion prototype, automated data product, or operational workflow.

Success does not require a positive result. A rigorous conclusion about what the available observations can and cannot support can be as valuable as an improved retrieval.

Fellowship Details
  • Paid, full-time, and on-site in El Segundo.
  • Three-to-six-month appointment, with four months as the standard duration.
  • Rolling applications and project-specific start dates.
  • Attached directly to Rainmaker's satellite-science group with a named mentor.
  • Consideration for future full-time roles
  • Publication may be supported when it does not compromise Rainmaker intellectual property or operational know-how.
Compensation and Benefits

$8,000 per month

Benefits:

  • Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance)
  • Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette
  • Free EV charging at the HQ
$8,000 - $8,000 a month
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