Senior DevOps/Platform Engineer III

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments called Directorates, each focused on a specific area of scientific research or function. The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to address complex, real-world threats. The AI and Data Analytics Division within NSD combines domain expertise with advanced hardware and software to deliver computational solutions for complex data and analytic challenges. Working in multidisciplinary teams, we connect foundational research to engineering and operations, providing tools to innovate quickly and field results faster.

About the role

Join PNNL's AI engineering team as a Senior DevOps/Platform Engineer and help architect the next generation of intelligent systems powering national security missions. In this role, you will design and build scalable AI platforms, cloud-native infrastructure, and large-scale data orchestration capabilities that enable advanced machine learning, agentic AI, and real-time intelligence solutions. This position is ideal for experienced engineers ready to apply deep expertise in AI/ML infrastructure, distributed systems, and production software engineering while leading technical efforts and mentoring teammates.

Responsibilities

• Build and deploy cloud-native AI platforms, agentic AI applications, and large language model (LLM) solutions.
• Develop scalable data pipelines, streaming architectures, APIs, and microservices to process high-volume, real-time data.
• Design and maintain containerized infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing to support reliable software delivery.
• Drive system performance improvements, observability, security, and operational reliability across production environments.
• Lead software engineers, data scientists, and researchers to deliver innovative AI capabilities.
• Lead architectural discussions, set direction for code reviews and engineering best practices, and drive continuous improvement.

National Interest Project Examples

• Detect and prevent smuggling of drugs and contraband at ports of entry
• Develop large data pipelines to thwart funding for terrorists, nuclear proliferators, drug cartels, and rogue leaders
• Apply big data solutions to national security problems
• Apply image classification for nuclear forensics analysis
• Develop capabilities for scalable geospatial analytics

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD and 1 year of Software Engineering experience or
• MS/MA and 3 years of Software Engineering experience or
• BS/BA and 5 years of Software Engineering experience or
• Associate’s degree (AA) and 14 years of Software Engineering experience in designing, architecting, programming, deploying, and automating software solutions or
• HS/GED and 16 years of Software Engineering experience in designing, architecting, programming, deploying, and automating software solutions
• Current, hands-on software development experience using Python

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field
• 3-5 years of hands-on DevOps, Platform Engineering, Site Reliability Engineering, or Infrastructure Engineering experience
• Expertise in Python (active use for the past three years) and proficiency in at least one other language (C#/.NET, C++, or Go)
• Demonstrated experience in Agentic AI to develop code and infrastructure
• Experience contributing to technical direction and independently structuring complex problems into actionable work
• Contributions to open-source infrastructure projects or active participation in DevOps communities

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship
• Ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance, including a background investigation covering employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with personal references, neighbors, and co-workers
• Must demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP)
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with federal law

Schedule

This position is based in Richland, WA or Seattle, WA and requires an onsite presence Monday through Thursday, with Friday as required by business needs.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Robust telehealth care options and mental health benefits
• Free wellness coaching and health savings account
• Flexible spending accounts
• Basic life insurance and disability insurance
• Employee assistance program and business travel insurance
• Tuition assistance and relocation support
• Backup childcare, legal benefits, and supplemental parental bonding leave
• Surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support
• Company-funded pension plan and 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Up to 120 vacation hours per year and ten paid holidays per year