Geospatial Data Architect

Summary

Join Development Seed as a Geospatial Data Architect and bridge the gap between data architects and geospatial developers. You will support the development of the Sentinel Zarr Explorer, focusing on open-source geospatial technologies for Earth observation. This remote-first position, based in an ESA member state, involves designing and implementing scalable geospatial services using open-source technologies like STAC, Zarr, and TiTiler. Collaborate with engineers, project managers, and scientists across Europe to deliver open-source software for visualizing and analyzing Earth observation data. Engage with the GeoZarr community and contribute to technical specifications and open-source projects. Document performance benchmarks and share insights on data efficiency and scalability.

Requirements

• 3+ years of professional experience in collaborative software development with a focus on geospatial data systems
• Expertise in Python for data services, including libraries like Xarray, Zarr, COG, and cloud-native formats
• Strong understanding of data modeling and architecture, with the ability to design schema structures that align with constraints from tools like TiTiler and OpenEO
• Experience with cloud-native geospatial technologies, including STAC, OGC API standards, and containerization (Docker/Kubernetes)
• Familiarity with open-source geospatial ecosystems (e.g., GDAL, QGIS, STAC) and a track record of contributing to or maintaining open-source projects
• Community engagement skills, including participation in forums, GitHub discussions, and collaboration with stakeholders like the GeoZarr community
• Experience with Git, GitHub, and collaborative code development
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a distributed, remote setting
• Located and authorized to work in an ESA member state

Responsibilities

• Write clean code and design clean architectures for geospatial data services using open-source technologies (e.g., STAC, dynamic tiling, Zarr) while ensuring scalability and compatibility with cloud platforms
• Model and optimize geospatial data structures, considering constraints from components like TiTiler and OpenEO to enable efficient processing of Sentinel data
• Collaborate with the engineering team on tasks that require a higher-level view of data modeling, such as defining schema design, data workflows, and integration with cloud-native formats (e.g., Zarr)
• Engage with the GeoZarr community to contribute to technical specifications, as well as related open-source projects and ensure alignment with industry standards
• Participate in standardization working groups to establish specifications and recommendations for GeoZarr and particularly on the data multiscaling and overview challenges
• Document performance benchmarks and share insights on data efficiency, scalability, and cloud compatibility
• Support community initiatives, including webinars, conferences, and community sprint, to build a vibrant ecosystem around the Sentinel Zarr Explorer
• Work in the open. We support open source, open data, and open science and take pride in our impact. As part of the Development Seed team, we encourage you to talk about your work through blogging and presentations at conferences, seminars, and workshops

Preferred Qualifications

• Contributions to open-source geospatial projects, such as Xarray or Zarr client software
• Experience with performance benchmarking for geospatial data processing
• Contributions to geospatial data or metadata specifications

Benefits

Remote work, flexible hours