Senior Artificial Intelligence Architect (Hybrid)

Requisition Id 14234 

Due to the security clearance requirements of this position, US citizenship is required for consideration.

­­Overview:  

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Senior AI Architect to lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced AI/ML architectures and solutions. This position is critical to driving ORNL’s mission to harness artificial intelligence for enhancing business operations, scientific research, and decision-making capabilities. This position resides in the AI Operations Program office within the Application Development Division of the Information Technology Services Directorate.

As part of the AI Operations Program office, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to architect scalable, robust, and innovative AI/ML systems. Our AI/ML models are heavily centered on Microsoft Azure and related AI cloud technologies with High Performance Computing (HPC) for on premise AI environments and Azure, AWS, and GCP for off premise environments.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Design and define the end-to-end architecture for AI/ML solutions, ensuring scalability, performance, and alignment with ORNL’s strategic goals and architectural principles and guidelines. 
• Lead the development and optimization of enterprise AI/ML solution frameworks, focusing on Microsoft Azure OpenAI, LLMs, and generative AI technologies.
• Develop comprehensive roadmaps for operational AI solution adoption and integration across business, operational, and research domains.
• Establish best practices for AI/ML lifecycle management, including model training, deployment pipelines (CI/CD), and diagnostic monitoring within Enterprise Architectural principles and guidelines.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, translate business and scientific needs into applied architectural solutions, and ensure seamless implementation.
• Define and implement AI/ML solutions that align with a robust master data management strategy to ensure data integrity, security, and accessibility, aligning with both Enterprise Data Governance and Enterprise Data Strategy.
• Provide thought leadership by analyzing emerging AI/ML trends and recommending technologies to the architectural community which drives innovation and efficiency.
• Foster partnerships with other DOE labs and industry leaders to mature ORNL’s AI capabilities and establish leadership in AI/ML best practices.
• Ensure compliance with ORNL’s policies and guidelines, particularly in the ethical and responsible use of AI.
• 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:

• A BS in computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, business analytics management, applied statistical analytics, or a related field of study and eight (8) to twelve (12) years of relevant and aligned experience is required for consideration. An overall combination of equivalent experience may be considered.
  • Masters and PhD degree holders in the same fields of study are also encouraged to apply:
    • Masters’ holders should have seven (7) to ten (10) years of relevant and aligned experience.
    • PhD holders should have four (4) to six (6) years of relevant and aligned experinece.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing AI/ML architectures.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Azure (e.g., OpenAI Studio, Azure SQL, AI/ML tools).
• Experience with generative AI, LLMs, and frameworks like Hugging Face or LangChain.
• Proficiency in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and modern AI/ML pipelines.
• Proven ability to innovate and lead complex technical projects.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active DOE Q Clearance.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Microsoft Power BI, Power Apps).
• Knowledge of ETL frameworks and database modeling techniques (e.g., vector and graph databases).
• Familiarity with high-performance computing environments and AI-focused GPU provisioning.
• Experience with Microsoft CoPilot, OpenAI APIs, and related generative AI tools.
• Strong background in enterprise architecture frameworks, software quality assurance, and ITIL standards.
• Prior leadership experience in AI/ML initiatives or large-scale deployments.

Special Requirements:  

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.  
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a 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. 

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.

This position is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and requires onsite presence.  We offer a flexible work environment that supports both the organization and the employee.  A hybrid/onsite working arrangement may be available with this position, which provides flexibility to work periodically from your home, while reporting onsite to the Oak Ridge, Tennessee location on a weekly and regular basis.

Having 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.

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.