Senior Research Staff

Requisition Id 13642 

Overview:  

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, Oak Ridge 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 seeking a senior research staff scientist who will focus on leading, expanding and growing grid resilience programs in collaboration with sponsors from the DOE, including the Grid Deployment Office and the Office of Electricity. This position resides in the Critical Infrastructure Resilience group in the Human Dynamics section, Geospatial Sciences and Human Security (GSHS) Division, National Sciences Security Directorate at ORNL.  

As part of our team, you will pursue new funding opportunities to perform ground-breaking research and development (R&D) efforts aimed at enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure systems against various threats and disruptions. You will be responsible for leading, coordinating, and implementing ORNL’s  R&D efforts for grid security challenges, including operational energy and climate security. This position offers a unique opportunity to work with interdisciplinary teams tackling challenges related to energy, water, cybersecurity, transportation, and more, with a special emphasis on grid resilience assessments and equity analysis. Your efforts will help to inform investments in grid resilience and restoration, and provide visibility into disparities in access to energy. 

The CIR Group is heavily engaged in modeling risk and resilience of critical infrastructures to achieve equitable, reliable and adaptable built environments through data ecosystems creation, data science and integrated complex systems analysis. The group’s vision is to enable a sustainable, safe, and secure critical infrastructure for all.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Engage with DOE sponsors to lead and deliver impactful results that align with national energy resilience goals.
• Lead the development and execution of research projects focused on enhancing the resilience of the nation's critical infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on the electric grid.
• Contribute to the creation of strategic plans, proposals, and budgets for grid resilience programs.
• Motivate and manage a diverse, integrated project team to deliver the project on budget, on schedule, and within scope.
• Lead communicating and reporting project status and performance information to project partners, ORNL staff members and collaborators.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to the development of a collaborative, innovative research environment.
• Lead application and analytics software development activities for grid resilience programs.
• Support R&D staff in disseminating results in peer reviewed journals, technical reports, relevant conferences, and open-source software project repos.
• 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:

• MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field and 12+ years of experience in computer science research. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Demonstrated expertise in grid resilience, critical infrastructure protection, and related research areas.
• Proven track record of successful program execution with DOE or other federal agencies.
• Strong leadership skills with experience in building and managing multidisciplinary research teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with situational awareness, grid reliability, resiliency, and flexibility in electric distribution circuits.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiences.  
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Familiarity with the latest advancements in grid technology, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection.
• Commitment to safe, secure, and compliant research practices.
• 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:

• 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.
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to recruiting@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 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.