Lead Data Scientist IV - GEOINT

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to take on complex, real-world threats to our nation and the world.

The AI and Data Analytics Division, part of the NSD, combines profound domain expertise and creative integration of advanced hardware and software to deliver computational solutions that address complex data and analytic challenges. Working in multidisciplinary teams, we connect foundational research to engineering to operations, providing the tools to innovate quickly and field results faster. Our strengths are integrated across the data analytics lifecycle, from data acquisition and management to analysis and decision support.

Responsibilities

PNNL is seeking a Lead Data Scientist with expertise in data science and a passion for solving mission-critical challenges in the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) domain. The selected candidate will contribute to research and development programs within the AI and Data Analytics Division which specializes in data science, applied mathematics, advanced analytic architectures, software engineering, and human-centered computing.

The position will work as part of interdisciplinary teams to deliver data-driven solutions that address critical national security challenges. This individual will collaborate with peers to develop machine learning (ML) models, analyze geospatial datasets, and perform research that bridges cutting-edge methods and field-ready solutions. The candidate will support PNNL's mission by contributing to impactful R&D projects that help tackle national challenges.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to grow professionally while working on diverse, mission-focused projects. At PNNL, we foster a collaborative and innovative work environment aimed at lifelong learning, creative problem-solving, and advancing interdisciplinary, data-driven innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Designs and implements innovative GEOINT data science solutions, addressing complex technical challenges related to imagery analysis, object detection, data fusion, and geospatial workflows.
• Serves as a principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on projects or tasks contributing to the integration of multiple capabilities or interdisciplinary approaches.
• Leads efforts to develop and deploy ML pipelines to process and analyze large quantities of geospatial data in operational environments.
• Mentors and guides junior staff, fostering technical excellence and professional development within the team.
• Explores and generates new ideas for proposals and business opportunities by identifying emerging national security needs related to GEOINT analytics.
• Builds and maintains external partnerships to increase the technical reputation of the team and align project outcomes with sponsor priorities.
• Collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams, including software engineers, geospatial analysts, and operational mission specialists, to transition research outputs into usable, field-ready solutions.
• Ensures compliance with quality, safety, and security standards in all project tasks and serve as a role model for adhering to these standards.

This position is based in either Richland, WA or Seattle, WA and requires an onsite presence.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 7+ years of relevant work experience -OR-
• MS/MA and 5+ years of relevant work experience -OR-
• PhD with 3+ years of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in data science, computer science, physics, mathematics, or a similar discipline.
• Expertise in GEOINT workflows, including experience with remote sensing platforms, multi-modal data fusion, and advanced geospatial analytics.
• Experience working with hyperspectral imaging data in the LWIR, including:
• Developing and validating machine learning–based detection, classification, and unmixing algorithms
• Full product pipeline experience (radiometric calibration, atmospheric correction, geometric correction, etc.)
• Strong spectral sensing fundamentals (radiative transfer, reflectance/emissivity, absorption features, SNR/noise modeling, sensor characterization)
• Applying ML techniques to hyperspectral data fusion for geospatial intelligence applications
• Proficiency with hyperspectral analysis and visualization tools (e.g., ENVI/IDL)
• Experience working with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data (complex/IQ and f