Back-end Software Developer, Entry Level

ORNL offers a flexible work environment that supports both the organization and the employee. This position is considered remote-eligible for ORNL in pre-approved locations.

About the role

The Information Technology Services Division in the Information Technology Services Directorate at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking qualified applicants for a Python Developer position in the Research and Development Solutions Team. The R&D Solutions team exists to facilitate lab goals through systems engineering, development, integration, and support for the research community at ORNL. We are responsible for facilitating service and capability delivery for R&D projects. We work as a team to provide development, deployment, automation, monitoring, and management tool infrastructure for researchers. We advocate, promote, and facilitate Agile Scrum development practices to researchers who develop or require development of code as part of their projects.

Responsibilities

• Partner with research organizations to enable research excellence and successful project delivery
• Design, develop, and manage spatial data platforms and solutions within Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) environments
• Deliver capabilities, services, cost savings, and optimizations that enhance research outcomes and reduce IT burden for researchers
• Collaborate with a diverse, multidisciplinary team including photogrammetrists, geographers, mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, and engineers
• Contribute to research, development, integration, testing, and deployment across areas such as spatial computing, real-time data platforms, and machine intelligence systems
• Develop geospatial applications, software, and digital map layers as service-based solutions
• Support research staff in publishing and disseminating results through peer-reviewed journals, technical reports, conferences, and open-source repositories
• Work with researchers and project sponsors to gather, understand, and implement project and security requirements in developed solutions
• Optimize workflows and monitoring solutions to leverage 24/7 operations support and minimize off-hours work
• Utilize collaboration tools such as Email, Jira, Confluence, Teams, Slack, and other platforms to maintain effective communication
• Support a flexible, team-oriented work environment
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service
• Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success

Requirements

• BS degree in a scientific or technical field and 2–4 years of experience
• Experience with Python development
• Experience with software development best practices (Git, Agile, issue tracking tools)
• Experience working with APIs and/or backend services
• Experience with AI-integrated workflow
• Experience with data processing or ETL workflows
• Experience debugging and maintaining existing codebases
• Familiarity with web frameworks (e.g., Flask, FastAPI, Django)
• Basic database usage (SQL or NoSQL)

Qualifications

• Exposure to geospatial tools/data (e.g., PostgreSQL/PostGIS, GDAL)
• Exposure to cloud or container technologies (e.g., Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes)
• Understanding of microservices concepts
• Experience working in research, scientific, or government environments
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with Data-as-a-Service or API-based architectures
• Programming experience in C, C#, C++, and SQL
• Experience working in highly technical environments (government, scientific, or similar)

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
• 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

Pay

Annual salary range: $95,000.00 - $120,000.00. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications, and alignment with the internal peer group.

Benefits

• 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
• Employee Discounts
• On-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities