Postdoctoral Research Associate - Urban AI

Requisition Id 13778 

Overview: 

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Computational Urban Sciences Group in the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division (CSED), Computing and Computational Sciences (CCSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The postdoc will focus on applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Operations Research on Urban Systems. The role is expected to use data-driven approaches to develop and foster novel scientific research in the areas of building energy, electric grid and energy systems, transportation systems, natural hazards, and their impact on urban systems, as well as response to other non-natural emergencies. The ideal candidate is expected to bring expertise in the application of AI, ML, anomaly detection, network science, urban health and modeling and simulation. Prior experience of applying such knowledge to the understanding of urban systems is preferred.

The Computational Urban Sciences Group is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists carrying out applied research at the intersection of computing and complex urban systems in the emerging environment of smart cities, energy infrastructures, infrastructure siting, smart grid, smarter and sustainable mobility, responsive buildings, extreme and persistent weather, climate science, and data driven emergency response and resiliency. The advances are enabled by the growing body of technologies that includes big-data, ML, high-performance computing, cloud computing, graph analytics, visual analytics, modeling and simulation, and visualization. The candidate must be comfortable working as part of a tightly integrated team and must be capable of supporting multiple projects simultaneously.

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct fundamental and applied research concerning infrastructure systems (such as electric grids, natural gas, and transportation networks), smart and connected communities, urban well-being, and urban emergencies, with a significant emphasis on operations research, AI/ML, statistical methods, graph theory, modeling and simulation, and high-performance computing.
• Develop, optimize, and transition algorithm prototypes to robust implementations
• Work with CSED researchers, as well as internal and external project sponsors, to capture, understand, integrate, and implement their requirements in developed algorithms and software
• Maintain and enhance a strong scientific publication profile
• Interpret, report, and present research concepts and results to national audiences at all levels

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in industrial engineering, operations research, management science, or related discipline completed within the last five years.
• Candidates must have demonstrated good academic standing, and the ability to conduct independent and significant research.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with big data, streaming data platforms, high-performance computing
• Experience with modeling and simulation
• Past hand-on experience with geospatial techniques
• Strong publication records in the areas of expertise
• Research experience in energy data science, healthcare data science, disaster data science, and computer networks
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Special Requirements:

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL: 

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people! The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.