Senior R&D Software Developer Jobs in Sioux Falls, SD

Department: Technical Support Services Contract (TSSC)

Relative Dynamics is a subcontractor supporting the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Senior Software Engineer will be employed by Relative Dynamics and assigned to work on projects in support of USGS EROS Center.

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is a full‑time, onsite position with no remote work option.

• Build mission‑critical systems used across the scientific and geospatial community
• Take on a leadership role in modernizing high‑visibility, high‑volume Earth observation pipelines
• Collaborate with highly skilled engineers, scientists, and stakeholders across USGS and NASA
• Leverage and expand your expertise with modern cloud, software engineering, and geospatial technologies
• Work in a culture that values curiosity, technical excellence, and meaningful impact
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of complex software systems and components
• Define and maintain high‑level architecture and technical strategies across projects
• Collaborate closely with Systems Engineers, Software Engineers, Scientists, and project leadership to ensure alignment of requirements, design, and delivery
• Ensure engineering practices meet enterprise standards, security requirements, and best practices
• Drive software planning, including requirements analysis, effort estimation, and risk assessments
• Oversee and contribute to detailed design documentation, implementation, and integration activities
• Lead and conduct advanced software testing strategies, including automated, integration, and performance testing
• Develop, review, and approve test plans, procedures, and verification reports
• Submit, analyze, and manage configuration and change requests under formal CM processes
• Conduct and lead peer reviews of designs, code, and documentation
• Mentor junior and mid‑level developers, promoting strong engineering practices and technical growth
• Contribute to continuous improvement of development workflows, automation, and DevSecOps practices

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• 8+ years of professional software development experience
• Proven experience designing and delivering complex, mission‑critical systems
• Experience supporting distributed or cloud‑native architectures is strongly preferred
• 3+ years of continuous U.S. residency to meet Government Security credential requirements
• Ability to obtain and maintain a national agency check and background investigation for facility access

• Strong leadership, communication, and technical decision‑making skills
• Deep understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle and modern engineering practices
• Expertise with Python and/or C/C++, with strong software design and debugging skills
• Advanced experience with relational databases (e.g., Postgres) and database design
• Strong understanding of version control and change management (Git)
• Experience integrating with large‑scale data systems or processing pipelines
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team

• Experience with remote sensing, digital image/signal processing, or geospatial concepts (e.g., map projections, raster data processing)
• Familiarity with AWS cloud services (S3, EC2, EKS, ECR, Lambda)
• Hands‑on experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps, and Infrastructure as Code
• Experience with containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), or automated workflows
• Experience with Perl, Java, or additional programming languages
• Experience implementing AI‑assisted code generation or documentation tools
• Background working with satellite ground systems or scientific data processing

• A self‑starter who thrives in a fast‑paced environment
• A quick learner who is always ready to gain depth of knowledge
• A reliable worker who knows the importance of showing up when it counts
• Accept assignments with open cooperative positive and team‑oriented attitudes
• Able to plan and execute plans across teams
• Effective communicator both written and verbal

• Competitive wage and benefits package
• Medical, dental, vision and life/disability insurance
• Vacation and paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Employee referral program
• Community involvement investing and giving back to the community

Relative Dynamics conducts a comprehensive background check that includes drug testing. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.