After almost 60 years without having any clue how to use a computer, my Dad finally decided that it was time for him to change his ways. He’s getting lessons at the Apple store, and every week he’s getting more proficient. He’s learned how to upload photos from his camera to his computer, put photo galleries on the web, and e-mail them to me and my sister. He is now adequately adept at browsing the web, and he’s even a subscriber to One Day, One Job (hi Dad!). Of all the things that his new computer has brought him, the thing that he loves the most is Google Earth. It seems like every day he sends me a new e-mail with an image attached saying, “Do you recognize this place?” Most college students take this kind of technology for granted, but for a 60 year old guy who has put together quite a collection of maps (which have the primary purpose of locating fishing spots), being able to see a picture of any place in the world is utterly amazing. You might think that Google is behind these pictures, since they seem able to do almost anything (like help you find a job), but much of the credit must go to DigitalGlobe, the world’s leading provider of high resolution commercial imagery.

The Longmont, CO based company got its start when it acquired a license from the United States Commerce Department that made them the first “private enterprise to build and operate a satellite system to gather high resolution digital imagery of the earth for commercial sale.” Since then DigitalGlobe has been developing new technologies to improve their imaging capabilities. This has paid off, as DigitalGlobe lays claim to big name clients such as Google, NASA, the Department of Defense, as well as smaller businesses like urban planners, energy companies, and insurers. DigitalGlobe’s imaging capabilities allow them to help companies monitor their assets. Whether it’s a remote oil field or the aftermath of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, DigitalGlobe is watching from above.

DigitalGlobe doesn’t appear to be big on entry-level hiring, since many of their jobs are highly technical and require significant experience; however, there is one job with three openings that appears to be well suited for a new college grad. The title is Collection Planning Analyst, which sounds like someone who calls you if you forget to pay your medical bills, but it’s actually nothing like that. At least we don’t think it is. The job description is riddled with acronyms and jargon that we don’t recognize, so we’re not exactly sure what this job entails. We do know that you’ll need a background in satellite planning systems and must hold or have the ability to obtain U.S. Government clearance. We’d imagine that people with a military or engineering background would be the best fits.

As for other jobs, there’s nothing entry-level, but you can take a look at DigitalGlobe’s jobs page or RSS feed to see if they add anything new.

Note: On April 25th we revisited entry-level jobs at DigitalGlobe.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• The DigitalGlobe Home Page
• Jobs at DigitalGlobe
• About DigitalGlobe
• DigitalGlobe’s Fact Sheet
• The History of DigitalGlobe
• DigitalGlobe’s Management Team

What’s the coolest thing that you’ve found on Google Earth? Tell us in the comments.

We've identified DigitalGlobe as having career opportunities in the following categories:

• all employers
• Colorado
• satellite imaging

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