Senior Technical Project Manager, Software Engineer and AI

Overview

At PNNL, core capabilities are divided among major departments referred 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.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Technical Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of software implementation projects. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in software engineering, computer science, mathematics or data science. Highly desired skills include knowledge of the full software development lifecycle, expertise in agile project management, and the ability to manage scope, schedule, budget, and project milestones effectively.

This position requires strong communication skills, exceptional organizational abilities, and a proactive approach to project management.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle delivery of mission capabilities from initiation through deployment and transition into operational environments.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, staffing, milestones, dependencies, and delivery risks to achieve project objectives.
• Manage multi‑year program budgets, funding profiles, and resource forecasts
• Align staffing models with technical roadmaps and sponsor strategic objectives
• Define and track success metrics tied to mission impact and user adoption
• Apply and tailor agile project management practices to support software development, data science experimentation, and iterative delivery.
• Partner with Technical Leads, software architects, Principal Investigators, data scientists, engineers, and subject matter experts to define plans, resolve issues, and drive execution.
• Manage data science and AI/ML work streams, including planning for data readiness, experimentation, model development, validation, deployment, and operational integration.
• Monitor project performance and maintain clear visibility into progress, risks, decisions, and dependencies.
• Communicate project status, strategy, risks, and recommendations to sponsors, leadership, and project teams.
• Manage complex, interdisciplinary scope and facilitate tradeoff decisions across sponsor priorities, technical constraints, and technical debt.
• Support staff development through mentoring, role clarity, and performance feedback in coordination with line management.
• Contribute to the maturation of PMO practices for program‑scale delivery
• Contribute to organizational program/project management capability development
• Serve as a primary interface with sponsors and develop a strong understanding of mission objectives, stakeholder priorities, and operational environments.
• Lead strategy development and additional business development for your area of responsibility.

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

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 11+ years of relevant project management experience
  -OR-
• MS/MA or higher and 9+ years of relevant project management experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in computer science, data science, information technology, engineering, or a related technical field
• Experience managing large, high-risk, technically complex…