Lead Data Scientist IV - Machine Learning GEOINT and Remote Sensing

Position: Lead Data Scientist IV - Machine Learning for GEOINT and Remote Sensing
Overview

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, Integrated Discovery 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 the National Security Directorate, 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.

Responsibilities

PNNL is seeking a Lead Data Scientist IV with deep learning expertise to develop methods for detecting and classifying targets in electro-optical (EO) imagery or identifying targets and materials in hyperspectral imagery (HSI). This research supports geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) and national missions.

In the AI and Data Analytics Division, you will shape research directions, develop algorithms and analytical methods, lead interdisciplinary project teams, and mentor researchers. You will work with engineers to prepare methods for operational use.

Current priorities include automatic target recognition (ATR), long-wave infrared (LWIR) HSI target detection and material classification, and detection and classification with limited labeled training examples, particularly in EO imagery. The role also offers opportunities to explore related problems in remote sensing and intelligence analysis. Candidates with deep learning experience in EO, HSI, or related sensing applications are encouraged to apply.

You will work alongside researchers and domain specialists on difficult national science and technology challenges. Collaboration with software and machine learning (ML) engineers will reflect each project's needs and stage of development. Opportunities to advance existing research and pursue new ideas may come through ongoing projects, internal research investments, or new proposals.

Key Responsibilities

• Define research questions and develop or adapt methods to address them. Investigate model behavior and solve difficult technical problems alongside the project team.
• Guide interdisciplinary project teams through complex research, adapting methods and plans as findings emerge or mission needs change.
• Work with mission partners to establish evaluation criteria and assess detection performance, false alarms, robustness, and computational demands under realistic conditions.
• Work with software and ML engineers to prepare methods for operational use, addressing research limitations that affect performance or reliability.
• Share methods and findings with collaborators and mission partners to inform decisions about which research directions to pursue.
• Shape new research ideas and collaborate on proposals that create opportunities for the team to pursue them.
• Mentor researchers through technical discussions, feedback, and opportunities to take on more challenging work. Help recruit colleagues and connect people with complementary expertise across teams and partner organizations.
• Guide project teams in following applicable quality, safety, and security requirements.

This position is based in either Richland, WA or Seattle, WA and requires an onsite presence.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 7+ years of data science experience
  -OR-
• MS/MA and 5+ years of data science experience
  -OR-
• PhD with 3+ years of data science experience
• Deep learning expertise, including developing, adapting, and evaluating algorithms or analytical methods for detection and classification in electro-optical (EO) imagery or target detection and material classification in hyperspectral imagery (HSI).
• Experience developing reproducible research code in Python with PyTorch or Tensor Flow.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience defining research…