Duration: 11 months to start 

Position Summary:
Our client invites applications for a part-time or full-time IoT/Edge Systems Engineer to help architect, deploy, and sustain a growing network of multi-sensor ground observatories. Working closely with scientists and engineers, the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the reliability and performance of edge computing systems in remote and field-based environments. This individual will play a pivotal role in the integration and operational support of advanced instrumentation used to study unidentified aerial phenomena.

Project Background:
The client Project’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) division is currently building and commissioning a network of calibrated multi-sensor observatory-class systems, and developing novel machine learning methods with the aim of collecting science-quality data to determine whether there are, in or near Earth’s atmosphere, measurable phenomena which can be confidently classified as scientific anomalies. Each system includes wide field optical sensors in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet; acoustic; radio spectrum; magnetic field strength; charged particle count; and environmental sensors. The project aims to conduct an exhaustive, long-term, multi-modal aerial census at multiple locations, cataloguing known natural or man-made aerial objects. We will generate testable, data-driven hypotheses to characterize any novel class discovered during this census, or else we can derive upper bounds for the occurrence rate of such anomalies at a given location.

Position Description:

• Support and help define the computing architecture at new and existing observatory sites.
• Configure and integrate scientific hardware (e.g. sensors/cameras, switches, servers, data storage, edge computers, etc.) with local and remote software systems.
• Design and maintain container images (Singularity, Docker, Podman) for data-capture/processing services, and build CI/CD pipelines for automated remote rollouts.
• Setup data transfer automation for onsite storage and offsite archives
• Write and maintain code for data acquisition, system control, automation and monitoring tools.
• Implement secure remote access solutions (e.g. SSH, VPN).
• Set up monitoring dashboards and watchdog systems for uptime and performance.
• Respond to system alerts and perform remote diagnostics.
• Investigate and resolve intermittent system failures and implement long-term fixes.
• Work alongside our computing team, hardware engineers and scientists to ensure system compatibility.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, configuration guides, and field procedures.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field—or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience with systems programming and hardware-software integration.
• Proficiency in Python and/or C++, particularly for device control or scientific applications.
• Comfortable with Linux environments and remote administration.
• Familiarity with networking, firewalls, and secure remote access tools.
• Experience with device interfaces like USB, GPIO, or serial communication.
• Bonus: Experience with computer vision or scientific sensor platforms.

• Observatory systems are often deployed in remote, unmanned environments—reliability, automation, and remote visibility are essential.
• Systems include custom imaging sensors, environmental sensors, GPS modules, acoustic and RF instrumentation.
• The Galileo Project emphasizes rigorous scientific data collection and transparency.
• The role is expected to evolve as the project grows; adaptability is a key trait.
• The successful candidate must be comfortable working in remote/outdoor conditions (e.g., climbing towers, installing weatherproof enclosures, working in hot/cold environments)