Building Operations & Controls Engineer 3

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, is accelerating the transition to an efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through basic and applied research. We leverage a strong technical foundation in power and energy systems and advanced data analytics to drive innovation, transform markets, and shape energy policy. The Buildings Systems Group is seeking a Building Operations and Controls Engineer to join our team of building controls experts working to improve energy and water efficiency and resilience, test and demonstrate new technologies and methodologies, and facilitate complex controls systems integration in federal and commercial facilities. This position offers a unique opportunity to develop, demonstrate, and learn from novel approaches to Building Re-tuning™, building control systems integration, and predictive fault detection and diagnostics. We are looking for candidates with familiarity and practical experience with building HVAC control systems (design, programming, commissioning, or operations), analyzing control system data to optimize building performance, and developing diagnostic and prognostic methods to enable more timely and proactive operation and maintenance of buildings and HVAC systems. PNNL’s Buildings Systems Group performs applied research to enhance energy and water efficiency, occupant productivity, and resilient operation of buildings and their connected energy and water systems. Our core research capabilities span building performance evaluation, building control system optimization, and site-level assessment and planning for energy and water resilience. We work closely with over 370 subject matter experts across the broader Electricity Infrastructure & Buildings Division to support the Nation’s transition to a sustainable, efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through innovation and actionable solutions.

Requirements

BS/BA and 5+ years of relevant work experience -OR- MS/MA and 3+ years of relevant work experience -OR- PhD with 1+ year of relevant experience
U.S. Citizenship
Ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.
Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
Drug Testing: All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).
The candidate selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and the PNNL Workplace Substance Abuse Program.
To obtain a PIV credential, new employees must successfully complete the applicable tier of federal background investigation post hire and receive a favorable federal adjudication.
All tiers of investigation include a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last 1 to 7 years (depending on the applicable tier of investigation). Illegal drug activities include marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.
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) Federal risk determination to maintain employment.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Science, Architectural Engineering, or a related field.
Experience analyzing building- or campus-scale energy and water systems, including design, commissioning, controls, operations and maintenance, or energy auditing (e.g., ASHRAE Level III).
Experience using whole-building energy modeling and simulation tools (e.g., eQUEST, EnergyPlus) to evaluate building performance and identify retrofit, operational, or control optimization opportunities.
Experience analyzing building automation system (BAS) or building control system data to optimize HVAC performance using diagnostic and prognostic methods that improve system operations and maintenance.
Experience planning and executing experimental research, technology demonstrations, or pilot projects.
Experience using programming or scripting languages (e.g., Python, R) for data analysis, automation, or visualization.
Experience supporting research or engineering projects at Department of Defense (DoD) installations or other federal facilities.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary, geographically distributed teams and contribute to technically complex projects.
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts and research findings effectively through written reports, presentations, and interactions with project sponsors and stakeholders. A technical writing sample will be requested during the interview process.
Demonstrated initiative, technical curiosity, and commitment to advancing building energy efficiency, resilience, and emerging technologies.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% to support field work, technology demonstrations, sponsor engagements, and project activities at U.S. military installations or other federal facilities.

Responsibilities

Project Managers and/or Task leads for performing assigned roles, following applicable project and field procedures, and performance of assigned tasks on time and within budget.
The Building Systems Group Leader and Team Leader for staff development, performance evaluation, and operational discipline (e.g., safe operations).
Applying building science and engineering principles and theories to proposing new ideas and solving buildings operations and controls challenges in federal and commercial facilities.
Provide guidance on assignments to more junior staff and develop technical approaches to solve building research challenges.
Leads development of technical products, such as technical reports and journal articles, and presents at national conferences and technical forums.
Defines and leads projects/tasks, reporting results on time and on budget.
Provides leadership to proposals for new work.
Teams with staff across the group and division to share resources and optimize approaches.
Mentors junior staff and/or students.