Spatial Reasoning Engineer

NV5 is seeking a Spatial Reasoning Engineer to work as part of a growing team of geospatial, AI, and data science professionals. The role will entail supporting the development of a Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based spatial reasoning platform. This role focuses on the core AI spatial analytics layer that powers all higher-level reasoning in the system.

We value engineers who are comfortable working in modern, open-source Python ecosystems and contributing to production-grade analytical tools. The Spatial Reasoning Engineer will design and implement deterministic, explainable spatial reasoning primitives using H3 hexagonal indexing, spatial statistics, and high-performance spatial analytics. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy building AI applications, open source spatial problem-solving, performance optimization, and building auditable analytics pipelines that can be trusted in production.

Work Environment:

Location: This position is a fully remote position within an engaged, virtual division at NV5.
• Travel <10% of the time
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required.

NV5 is a global technology solutions and consulting services company with a workforce of over 4,500 professionals in more than 100 offices worldwide. NV5's continued growth has been spurred through strategic investments in firms with unique capabilities to help current and future customers solve the world's toughest problems. The NV5 family brings together talent across a wide range of markets and fields, including Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Architects, Photogrammetrists, GIS Professionals, Software Developers, IT, Project Management Professionals, and more.

At NV5 Geospatial, We are a collaboration of intelligent, innovative thinkers who care for each other, our communities, and the environment. We value both heart and head, the diversity of our people, and their experiences because that is how we continue to grow as a leader in our industry and expand our individual and collective potential.

• Translate business requirements into technical specifications
• Support the development and evolution of the spatial reasoning core of our AI tool, including:

  • H3 driven spatial analytics pipelines

  • Spatial aggregation, density estimation, and hotspot detection

  • Proximity, adjacency, and neighborhood analysis

  • Deterministic, reproducible spatial reasoning functions

  • Performance-optimized algorithms for large datasets

  • Spatial correctness tests and benchmarking suites

• Deploy monitoring tools to track status and performance of system architecture and data flows

• Develop API-driven backend services with FastAPI, Pydantic, and async Python

• Work with columnar analytics stacks (DuckDB, PyArrow, Parquet / GeoParquet)

• Conduct vectorized data processing using NumPy, pandas, Polars

• Develop spatial computation with H3, Shapely, and lightweight geospatial utilities

• Write testable, benchmarked code using pytest and async test patterns

• Use profiling and performance tools to reason about memory, CPU, and data layout

• Build with python package managers like uv and poetry utilizing pyproject.toml for project management

• Collaborate in open-source-style repositories with linting, formatting, typing, and CI expectations

We are explicitly hiring for deep expertise in:

• Spatial statistics and pattern detection
• Algorithmic performance tuning
• Memory efficiency, batching, query planning
• Spatial benchmarking and correctness evaluation
• MCP-aware backend development
• LLMs used as assistive components, not decision-making black boxes

Requirements:

• Experience working with Geospatial data
• Strong Python engineering experience in production systems
• Hands-on experience with H3 or similar spatial indexing systems
• Proven ability to design efficient spatial data pipelines
• Experience working with spatial data analysis at scale
• Solid understanding of spatial statistics and spatial analysis concepts
• Comfort working in backend systems that integrate with LLMs and AI
• Strong focus on correctness, reproducibility, and explainability
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred:

• Familiarity with MCP-style tool interfaces
• RAG and embeddings AI application development experience
• Experience designing benchmark and AI evaluation frameworks
• Background in geospatial analytics outside traditional GIS stacks
• Experience integrating LLM services via clean Python interfaces
• Experience with data lakehouse platforms such as Databricks
• Understanding of geospatial metadata requirements
• Security+ Certification

Please be aware that some of our positions may require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

NV5 offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, PTO, 401(k) and professional development/advancement opportunities.

NV5 provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. NV5 complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

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