Vacancy
Senior Data Quality (Cal/Val) Engineer (m/f/d)
Permanent employee, Full-time · Cambridge, Ontario
The Mission
As a Senior Data Quality (Cal/Val) Engineer, you will design and commission our new clean-
room's radiometric calibration facility in Canada for our satellite thermal and VIS-NIR imagers.
Once operational, you will radiometrically characterize our sensors and ensure the long-term
quality monitoring and calibration of our data products derived from our sensors. Furthermore,
you will work on novel in-flight cal/val algorithms such as the radiometric calibration of our
infrared imagers using the Moon as a vicarious target. Reporting to the Cal/Val Lead, you will
collaborate closely with the Data Science, Systems Engineering, Data Engineering, and
Hardware departments within the data product teams. Your focus will be on executing
calibration and validation processes, supporting instrument performance management, and
ensuring data quality meets industry and community standards. You will also help manage
interactions with external stakeholders such as the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
room's radiometric calibration facility in Canada for our satellite thermal and VIS-NIR imagers.
Once operational, you will radiometrically characterize our sensors and ensure the long-term
quality monitoring and calibration of our data products derived from our sensors. Furthermore,
you will work on novel in-flight cal/val algorithms such as the radiometric calibration of our
infrared imagers using the Moon as a vicarious target. Reporting to the Cal/Val Lead, you will
collaborate closely with the Data Science, Systems Engineering, Data Engineering, and
Hardware departments within the data product teams. Your focus will be on executing
calibration and validation processes, supporting instrument performance management, and
ensuring data quality meets industry and community standards. You will also help manage
interactions with external stakeholders such as the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
What you’ll be doing
Calibration and Validation Operations:
● Design calibration setups and specifications, procure required hardware, assemble, test,
and ready for operation.
● Write software control protocols for operation of laboratory equipment.
● Execute calibration and validation protocols for our thermal and VIS-NIR Earth
observation data products.
● Support the performance assessments of instruments and work with the data product
teams to resolve discrepancies.
● Assist in calibration campaigns, including on-ground and in-flight calibration,
contributing to planning, execution, and reporting.
● Help manage external calibration campaigns, including collaborations with customers
and ground station networks.
Data Quality Assurance:
● Support quality assurance processes for all data products, ensuring compliance with
industry and community standards.
● Contribute to the analysis of data trends and performance metrics to optimize
calibration and validation processes.
Help manage reference validation datasets, including ground sites, Lunar datasets, deep
space datasets, and satellite reference datasets.
Validation Algorithm/Method Development:
● Contribute to the development of scalable cal/val algorithms and methods for improving
data products.
● Work closely within the product and engineering teams, actively participating in sprint
planning and execution, and collaborating on requirements engineering, research, and
development efforts.
Collaboration and Communication:
● Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Data Science, Systems Engineering,
Data Engineering, and Hardware departments.
● Assist in representing the company in key collaborations (e.g., CSA).
● Support the generation of comprehensive data quality reports and contribute to
customer-centric studies.
● Design calibration setups and specifications, procure required hardware, assemble, test,
and ready for operation.
● Write software control protocols for operation of laboratory equipment.
● Execute calibration and validation protocols for our thermal and VIS-NIR Earth
observation data products.
● Support the performance assessments of instruments and work with the data product
teams to resolve discrepancies.
● Assist in calibration campaigns, including on-ground and in-flight calibration,
contributing to planning, execution, and reporting.
● Help manage external calibration campaigns, including collaborations with customers
and ground station networks.
Data Quality Assurance:
● Support quality assurance processes for all data products, ensuring compliance with
industry and community standards.
● Contribute to the analysis of data trends and performance metrics to optimize
calibration and validation processes.
Help manage reference validation datasets, including ground sites, Lunar datasets, deep
space datasets, and satellite reference datasets.
Validation Algorithm/Method Development:
● Contribute to the development of scalable cal/val algorithms and methods for improving
data products.
● Work closely within the product and engineering teams, actively participating in sprint
planning and execution, and collaborating on requirements engineering, research, and
development efforts.
Collaboration and Communication:
● Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Data Science, Systems Engineering,
Data Engineering, and Hardware departments.
● Assist in representing the company in key collaborations (e.g., CSA).
● Support the generation of comprehensive data quality reports and contribute to
customer-centric studies.
Relevant Skills
● Advanced degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Data Science, or a related field.
● 3-5 years of experience in laboratory calibration of thermal IR, VIS and NIR detectors.
● 3 years experience in writing control software protocols for laboratory experiments.
● Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
● Experience in collaborating with technical teams, such as Data Science, Systems
Engineering, and Hardware.
● Ability to work independently.
● Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present complex technical
information.
Preferred Qualifications:
● Ph.D. in a relevant field or equivalent industry experience.
● Experience with thermal Earth observation data and instruments.
● Experience in data quality assurance and validation processes.
● Publications in peer-reviewed journals related to data calibration and validation.
● 3-5 years of experience in laboratory calibration of thermal IR, VIS and NIR detectors.
● 3 years experience in writing control software protocols for laboratory experiments.
● Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
● Experience in collaborating with technical teams, such as Data Science, Systems
Engineering, and Hardware.
● Ability to work independently.
● Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present complex technical
information.
Preferred Qualifications:
● Ph.D. in a relevant field or equivalent industry experience.
● Experience with thermal Earth observation data and instruments.
● Experience in data quality assurance and validation processes.
● Publications in peer-reviewed journals related to data calibration and validation.
We Offer
At ֲýTech, you can expect a down-to-earth yet high-caliber work environment. You will be part of the ֲýTech team - a talented, international, and open-minded team that is highly motivated to create impact. ֲýTech allows you to grow on a professional and personal level.
● You have the opportunity to become part of our firefighting mission from space and deliver the tools to better cope with natural disasters and mitigate climate change - could a job be any cooler?
● You will gain insights into the most exciting new technologies and business models.
● You will get to sign a satellite that launches in a year.
If you apply: We value well-crafted motivation letters stating how you learned about ֲýTech, why you think you would be a great addition to the team and why you want to work at a NewSpace start-up. Please always include references of your prior work (for example, your thesis, talks, papers, code repositories, websites, write-ups, articles, apps, exposes, anything), if permissible. Please avoid detailed grade reports and online certificates. Please also list your earliest starting date and expected salary.
● You have the opportunity to become part of our firefighting mission from space and deliver the tools to better cope with natural disasters and mitigate climate change - could a job be any cooler?
● You will gain insights into the most exciting new technologies and business models.
● You will get to sign a satellite that launches in a year.
If you apply: We value well-crafted motivation letters stating how you learned about ֲýTech, why you think you would be a great addition to the team and why you want to work at a NewSpace start-up. Please always include references of your prior work (for example, your thesis, talks, papers, code repositories, websites, write-ups, articles, apps, exposes, anything), if permissible. Please avoid detailed grade reports and online certificates. Please also list your earliest starting date and expected salary.
Join ֲýTech