Research Scientist, Spatial Statistics

Requisition Id 13722 

Overview:  

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.

We are searching for a Research Scientist to join the newly formed Spatial Statistics group. This group focuses on developing and applying advanced statistical and mathematical solutions at scale to complex and interdisciplinary problems affecting national security. There is a strong emphasis on advancing novel capabilities and systems within operational environments that require high performance computing (HPC) and automated workflows.

Application domains include population dynamics, climate security, public and environmental health, sociocultural/economic trend analysis, built environment attribution, secure transportation, nuclear nonproliferation, change detection, and formal protections against privacy attacks and other forms of geoassurance. Methods vary widely but include applied mathematics, deep learning (DL), machine learning (ML), probability modeling, Bayesian reasoning, quantum computing, spatial statistics, spatio-temporal modeling, decision support, and data mining. Problem sets are often driven by “big data” environments, but many applications must contend with sparse or noisy data and creatively turn to multi-modal inference linkages, subject matter elicitation, and other methods for estimating key endpoints under uncertainty. In many cases, the groups’ capabilities support situational awareness and decision-making processes under uncertainty in real operational settings. The ability to envision, develop, and effectively communicate complex analytical methods to non-technical collaborators is a key asset.

As a Research Scientist, you will have the opportunity and the expectation to engage directly in your own research, to publish in peer review journals and conferences, to serve within professional societies, to develop your professional profile and network nationally and internationally. You will help coordinate research efforts across the group and ensure that efforts are well aligned with the needs of customers while advancing the state of the art.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Think innovatively about the science of spatial statistics with emphasis on workflows in high-performance computing environments.
• Initiate, lead, and perform independent and impactful R&D on an ongoing basis as evidenced by, for example, innovative S&T delivered to sponsors, successful proposals, S&T presentations, professional community engagement, inventions/patents/copyrights, publications as appropriate, etc.
• All team members deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in applied statistics, mathematics, computer science, or related field and two (2) years' relevant experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Demonstrated experience working with spatial and spatiotemporal data including structured and unstructured, remote sensing, text, time series analysis etc.
• Experience in two or more areas of applied statistics, spatial statistics, probabilistic modeling (e.g,, Bayesian), spatio-temporal methods, and ML/DL, etc.
• Experience developing proof of concept code in R, Python, etc.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to successfully identify, shape, and complete complex technical tasks
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to a team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to changing needs.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Experience with decision making under uncertainty, expert elicitation, and communication/visualization for non-technical partners.
• Understanding of challenges and methods in application domains of interest including climate change/impact, transportation security, expert elicitation, urban built environments, population distribution modeling, change detection, privacy protection.
• Knowledge of ML, robustness and interpretability of AI, transparency of ML, and differential privacy.
• Experience with ML in HPC applications.

Special Requirements:

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance from the Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program.  In addition, due the SCI, you may also be subject to random polygraph testing. 

Benefits at ORNL: 

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain dedicated 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

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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.