AI Engineer - AI for Science and National Security

Requisition Id15252

Overview:

Do you have a passion for applying AI methods for accelerating scientific discoveries and an ability to think outside of the box in a collaborative and open environment? If so, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Learning Systems Group within the Data and Artificial Intelligence Systems section invites you to apply to our new technical professional position in AI for science and national security.

As a technical professional, you will help solve some of the most challenging problems faced by the nation. You will perform groundbreaking work on a wide range of significant problems, and you will apply your work to exciting research in multi-disciplinary domains alongside globally recognized experts. You will bring creative thinking, teamwork, AI, and machine learning skills to bear as you develop new methods to address scientific and engineering problems, collaborate with leaders in your field and across the laboratory, while working with the world's fastest computers, and disseminate innovative results through software and presentations.

The Learning Systems Group at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory focuses on artificial intelligence and computational research and applies this knowledge to support the nation's leading initiatives. We hire top researchers and engineers who are ready to tackle the hardest problems faced by both the US and the world. Researchers of the Learning Systems group are changing the world with their research, and we are committed to hiring and retaining highly motivated, energetic, and creative individuals that will help us continue our breakthrough scientific endeavors.

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation's biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL's broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Conduct independent and collaborative software engineering in the general areas of AI for science, and national security, focusing on high-impact scientific and national security problems
• Apply state-of-the-art AI techniques in high-impact application areas such as text extraction from scientific publications, building knowledge graphs, developing AI testing and validation systems.
• Collaborate with national security and military agencies to develop solutions that support decision-making processes.
• Build strong collaborations within ORNL and across the global research and engineering communities.
• Develop ground breaking software to solve challenging problems in science and national security.
• Be a part of a collaborative research environment which will provide the opportunity to perform cutting-edge research in AI, Large language model, deep learning and scientific computing.
• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service.

Basic Qualifications:

• A BS or certificates in AI, computer science, or related field.
• Skill Bridge Intern experience at ORNL.
• Demonstrated experience working with machine learning and data analytics using tools in programming languages and frameworks such as Python, PyTorch, Ollama, langchain, Pandas, Numpy, SKlearn, TensorFlow, Hugging Face etc., in applied problem-solving contexts.
• Understanding of machine learning algorithms (gradient descent, random forests, etc.) and deep neural network architectures (ResNet and Transformers).
• A broad understanding of machine learning methodologies and data science methodologies and techniques, (e.g. supervised and unsupervised learning, feature selection/engineering, hyperparameter optimization, dimensionality reduction, embeddings, etc.)
• An understanding of the operations and challenges with the national security and military environment.
• The ability to interaction with national security sponsors and attract new funding
• The ability to lead a technical team

Preferred Qualifications:

• An active Q/SCI clearance
• An MS degree in computer science or a related field.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines and adapt to changing needs.

Special Requirements:

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to recruiting@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document
  
  

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:
For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:
If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Benefits at ORNL:

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people! The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.