Senior Data Scientist III- AI Assurance Researcher

Overview

At PNNL, our 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. The AI and Data Analytics Division, part of the NSD, combines domain expertise and advanced hardware and software to deliver computational solutions.

Working in multidisciplinary teams, we connect foundational research to engineering to operations, providing the tools to innovate quickly and field results faster.

PNNL is seeking a Senior Data Scientist - AI Assurance Researcher with experience in understanding, exploring, and manipulating the internal mechanics and behaviors of AI models to provide valuable insights into decision boundaries and mathematical fingerprints of data properties. The selected candidate should have extensive experience training models, accessing and working with data embeddings, deriving theoretical queries from empirical results, and translating research papers and findings into mission‑relevant insights and tools.

• Define and lead research agendas in areas such as explainable AI, adversarial machine learning, AI safety, and the science of deep learning.
• Design and execute rigorous ML experiments at scale, including large‑scale training and evaluation on HPC infrastructure.
• Develop novel evaluation methodologies that go beyond standard performance metrics to assess generalization, robustness, and out‑of‑distribution behavior.
• Analyze the internal structures and representations of deep learning models, with emphasis on large language models and large vision models.
• Interpret empirical results to identify promising research directions and guide strategic investment of team resources.
• Establish best practices for research code quality, reproducibility, and integration into operational pipelines.
• Mentor junior researchers and engineers, fostering a culture of scientific rigor and collaborative inquiry.
• Conduct work in secure environments with adherence to operational security requirements.

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

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a related field.
• Deep familiarity with the current ML research landscape, particularly in explainable AI, adversarial machine learning, AI safety, and the science of deep learning.
• Track record of peer‑reviewed publications or technical contributions in relevant research areas.
• Hands‑on experience analyzing the internal structures and representations of deep learning models, particularly large language models and large vision models.
• Strong proficiency in PyTorch and associated deep learning libraries.
• Experience designing and executing large‑scale experiments on HPC systems.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research prototypes into deployable tools and capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex research findings to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Not applicable.

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.

Background investigation will include review of employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). 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…