Posting Title

Researcher - AI and Visualization

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Regular

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

The Data, Analysis, and Visualization group and the AI, Learning and Intelligent Systems group, located within NREL’s Computational Sciences Center, are seeking a full-time researcher specializing in the combined field of AI/ML and visualization. The researcher should be dynamic, motivated, and have a strong interest in advancing the renewable energy mission of NREL by delivering world class research, innovation, and leadership in computational science.

This position will work in the intersection of visualization and artificial intelligence, pushing the state of the art in both disciplines through fundamental developments as well as applications related to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The successful candidate will contribute to existing projects and will be expected to help NREL grow new research by leading proposals and projects, mentoring students and junior staff and contributing to the strategic growth of the computational science center.

Candidates with prior experience in fundamental AI and Vis research including explainable AI, trustworthy AI, the visualization of high-dimensional data, uncertainty, time-series, and decision-making will find great opportunity to apply their skills in this position.

Candidates should have a strong technical background, work ethic, and be comfortable learning and applying new technologies, as the role will include self-starting, keeping pace with state-of-the-art research and development, and performing technical tasks independently. However, the role will also require collaboration and effective communication with peers, mentors, and team members, as well as with stakeholders outside of the team with a high degree of professionalism. The successful candidate will not shy away from tackling challenges, but rather, demonstrate eagerness to devise new creative solutions grounded in current state-of-the-art. In this vein, the candidate should have a high degree of curiosity, excitement to work as part of a diverse team, and the ability to adapt to needs of differing projects and challenges by gaining and utilizing new skills in support of research goals.

A CV and cover letter is REQUIRED for this position. The cover letter should answer the following questions:

1. Describe your motivation for this position and working at NREL.

2. Expand on your experience in developing research projects in Visualization and AI.

3. Describe your experience building research agenda in new technologies, (e.g., Visualization and AI )

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Basic Qualifications

This position may be filled at Level III or Level IV

For Level III

Relevant PhD . Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience . Demonstrates complete understanding and wide application of scientific technical procedures, principles, theories and concepts in the field. General knowledge of other related disciplines. Demonstrates leadership in one or more areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities. Demonstrated experience in management of projects. Very good technical writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

For Level IV

Relevant PhD and 4 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 7 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 9 or more years of experience. Applies extensive scientific technical expertise, and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Considered a technical resource. Demonstrates leadership in several areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities. Demonstrated experience in management of projects. Excellent technical writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

For Level III:

• Demonstrated experience in fundamental AI and Vis research

• Solid publication record in prominent AI and Vis journals

• Ability to understand the Vis and AI literature and identify research gaps in both fields as well as their intersection

• Excellent communication skills, particularly in multidisciplinary settings

• Strong software development experience

• Demonstrated experience working on collaborative code bases

For Level IV (must demonstrate all requirements from Level III plus the following):

• Concrete exemplars of successful cutting-edge research program development at the intersection of AI and Vis

• Demonstrated impact of research outcomes

• Demonstrated leadership of research projects

• Demonstrated examples of securing successful funding

Preferred Qualifications

For Level III

• Experience in energy fields, policy making, or earth science/systems

• Programming languages: Python, C++, D3, R, SQL, Javascript

• Developer tools: ggplot/matplotlib, Tableau, web frameworks

• Version control (e.g., github)

For Level IV

(must demonstrate all preferred qualifications for Level III plus the following):

• Well developed leadership skills and experience in the fields of AI and/or Vis

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Researcher III / Annual Salary Range: $79,600 - $143,300

Job Profile: Researcher IV / Annual Salary Range: $95,500 - $171,900

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy’s effort to secure an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NREL is the primary laboratory for research, development, and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States.

NREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview. DOE rules for site access during the interview process are the same regardless of whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NREL by the Department of Energy (DOE).

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Please review the information on our Hiring Process (https://www.nrel.gov/careers/hiring-process.html) website before you create an account and apply for a job. We also hope you will learn more about NREL (https://www.nrel.gov/about/) , visit our Careers site (https://www.nrel.gov/careers/) , and continue to search for job opportunities (https://nrel.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/NREL) at the lab.