Data Scientist III - Mathematician / Statistician

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•Richland, WA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus. The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to take on complex, real-world threats to our nation and the world. The AI and Data Analytics Division, part of NSD, combines profound domain expertise and creative integration of advanced hardware and software to deliver computational solutions that address complex data and analytic challenges. Working in multidisciplinary teams, we connect foundational research to engineering to operations, providing the tools to innovate quickly and field results faster. Our strengths are integrated across the data analytics lifecycle, from data acquisition and management to analysis and decision support. PNNL is seeking a Data Scientist III – Mathematician / Statistician with expertise in the fundamentals of mathematics and statistics in one or more areas including artificial intelligence, operations research, modeling of complex systems or events, risk analysis, scientific machine learning, and optimization. The selected candidate will contribute to research and development programs within the AI and Data Analytics Division which specializes in data science, applied mathematics, advanced analytic architectures, software engineering, and human-centered computing. The Data Scientist will work as part of interdisciplinary teams to deliver data-driven solutions that address critical national security challenges. The candidate will support PNNL's mission by contributing to impactful R&D projects that help tackle national challenges. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to grow professionally while working on diverse, mission-focused projects. At PNNL, we foster a collaborative and innovative work environment aimed at lifelong learning, creative problem-solving, and advancing interdisciplinary, data-driven innovation.

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).
Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.
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 the 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

Degree in mathematics, statistics, data science, or related fields.
Expertise in the fundamentals of mathematics and statistics in one or more areas including artificial intelligence, operations research, modeling of complex systems or events, risk analysis, scientific machine learning, and optimization.
Experience in applying mathematics and statistical methods within one or more specialty domains---e.g., communications, geospatial data, nuclear nonproliferation, radiography, remote sensing---and willingness to dive in and learn domain-specific knowledge in new applications.
Passion for agentic AI and large language models including experience using or developing these tools in various data science domains.
Interest in working across the spectrum from research to prototype development to deployable tools.
Proficiency with data science techniques and tools including cloud computing platforms and version control systems like git, and flexibility in working with various systems and environments including on-premises servers and cloud platforms.
Proven ability to collaborate effectively with a multi-disciplinary team environment.
Demonstrated strong communication skills with the ability to deliver technical findings to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

Conduct and lead research to develop mathematical or statistical models of data and algorithms to analyze those models. Execute experiments to gather insight into the data and systems that generate the data. Use artificial intelligence approaches where appropriate.
Ensure experiments are statistically sound, including standard performance metrics, and results are reproducible. Assess empirical results to guide future research and experimental steps.
Maintain awareness of emerging trends in mathematics and statistics for data science challenges in national security to shape future research directions and identify new opportunities for impact.
Take ownership of defined tasks or small projects, proactively identifying technical challenges and proposing solutions to senior staff or project leads.
Engage with stakeholders to understand project requirements and translate them into actionable technical approaches aligned with sponsor goals.
Team with and lead others to develop high-quality research code demonstrating proficiency with data science techniques and tools.
Serve as a mentor to junior staff or interns within the team, fostering a collaborative and inclusive research environment.
Support proposal development and business development by contributing to proposals and/or briefing sponsors.
Build effective working relationships and communicate effectively within your immediate team, as well as across interdisciplinary teams at the group or division level.
May require conducting work in secure environments and executing work from an operational security perspective.