Senior Software Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

At Relative Dynamics we value knowledge as a process rather than knowledge as an answer. Founded in 2011 our goal is to define the new space era by continuously pushing the boundaries of engineering models services and technology development. Visit us at

Relative Dynamics is a subcontractor supporting USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. In this role, you will be employed by Relative Dynamics and assigned to work on projects in support of USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

Relative Dynamics is seeking a Senior Software Engineer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to support advanced software development efforts in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey at the EROS Center in Sioux Falls, SD. This is a full time, onsite position, requiring regular in person collaboration with team members, scientists, and mission partners. This role is not eligible for remote work.

In this senior role, you will help architect, develop, and modernize large scale remote sensing and data processing systems that enable decades of Landsat satellite data and high impact Earth science missions. As a senior developer, you will influence technical direction, provide mentorship to junior engineers, contribute to system architecture decisions, and help drive complex software initiatives from design to deployment.

What You'll Get to Do:

• 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

What You'll Need:

Required Experience

• 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

Required Skills

• 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
• Experience developing applications on Unix/Linux platforms
• 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

Desired Skills

• 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

Who You Are:

• 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

What You'll Enjoy:

• Competitive wage and benefits package

• Medical, dental, vision and life/disability insurance

• Vacation and paid holidays

• Tuition reimbursement

• 401k 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.