Also called: Lidar Engineer, Laser Remote Sensing Scientist
Uses laser pulses to map the world in 3D, for self-driving cars, forests, glaciers, and archaeology.
You might process laser scans from an airplane that reveal hidden Maya ruins under a jungle canopy, or tune a lidar sensor that lets a robot car see pedestrians. Some days are spent at the computer cleaning billions of 3D points; others in the field mounting sensors on drones.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's in physics or engineering; master's or PhD for research roles.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Geography (Remote Sensing).
Growing faster than average. BLS does not project this specialty separately; rating estimated from related occupations.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI now cleans and classifies point clouds automatically; designing sensors and fieldwork stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Computer Science, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.