PNNL's Energy and Environment Directorate is seeking to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI), including Large Language Models (LLMs) and agentic programming, to address challenges in grid operations, planning, and resilience, aiming to modernize the nation's power grid for reliability, affordability, security, and resilience.
Requirements
- Deep understanding and experience applying machine learning and agentic approaches to the grid domain.
- Expertise in energy systems, power systems, or grid operations, with a strong understanding of the technical and operational challenges facing modern and future grids.
- Proven track record of leading large-scale, interdisciplinary research teams and securing competitive research funding.
- Knowledge of U.S. energy infrastructure, regulatory landscape, and the role of AI/ML in supporting grid modernization goals.
- Experience integrating AI models, including Agentic approaches, into planning or real-time operations engineering workflows for electric utilities or ISOs/RTOs.
- Demonstrated thought leadership in emerging AI applications, particularly around explainable AI, ethical AI, and AI for critical infrastructure.
- Must be able to acquire and maintain a national security clearance, Q/SCI.
Responsibilities
- Lead pioneering research efforts to apply AI, including generative AI and agent-based approaches, to improve the operation, automation, resilience, and security of the electrical grid.
- Operationalizing AI research and development for the purposes of ensuring national and economic security especially as it relates to Defense Critical Electric Infrastructure.
- Develop and drive innovative concepts for real-world applications of ML in areas such as energy forecasting, grid disturbance detection, anomaly detection, and human-in-the-loop decision-making for grid operators.
- Serve as the principal investigator (PI) on complex, multi-disciplinary research projects funded by DOE, ARPA-E, utilities, and other stakeholders. Define project vision, build teams, and oversee successful execution.
- Collaborate across different components of the organization supplying domain expertise to AI/ML experts in other areas.
- Mentor and coach junior, mid-career, and senior scientists in the AI and grid research space, fostering a culture of innovation, growth, and excellence within the team.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including universities, grid operators, utilities, ISO/RTOs, national labs, and solution providers, to identify emerging needs and develop solutions that scale to the real world.
Other
- This position is based in either Richland, WA or Seattle, WA and requires an onsite presence.
- U.S. Citizenship
- 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.
- 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.
