Data Scientist - Advanced Energy Systems at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, WA
$90,600–$144,700from the description
Jul 15, 2026
Richland, WA
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A data scientist role embedded within an applied research group focused on energy and chemical processing technologies. Day-to-day work involves designing statistically sound test plans, analyzing complex datasets using machine learning and predictive modeling, and supporting techno-economic and life-cycle assessments. The position also carries responsibilities for scientific writing, proposal development, and presenting findings at conferences — suiting candidates with a research-oriented background and experience bridging data science with applied R&D projects.
Mid level · Kennewick-Richland, WA · Bachelor's required · Secret clearance · Full-time
Posted 2 times — it's one opening, so apply once.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
Why we read it this way (7)
The only hard-required qualification is a BS/BA or higher degree — all technical skills (ML, deep learning, statistical analysis, etc.) appear exclusively under 'Preferred Qualifications' and are therefore not hard gates.
The posting states 'this position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance' as a hard requirement, and lists 'Already has a U.S. security clearance' as a preferred qualification. The clearance level is not explicitly named, but the language around classified matter access and DOE background investigation tiers suggests at minimum a Secret-level clearance; it is not described as TS/SCI.
The role sits at the intersection of data science (ML/statistical modeling) and operations research (techno-economic analysis, life-cycle analysis, supply chain optimization), which creates genuine SOC ambiguity. Data science and ML are the primary framing, so 15-2051 is the primary code, with 15-2031 as a close runner-up.
No specific technology tools, languages, or platforms (e.g. Python, R, TensorFlow) are named anywhere in the posting — only methodological categories are mentioned. No named-tool skills could be extracted.
Seniority is assessed as Mid: the posting has no title-level modifier and the minimum qualification is only a bachelor's degree with no stated years of experience. The preferred qualifications describe a more senior profile (publication record, proposal writing, national-level recognition), but these are all preferred, not required.
Ignored 2 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): predictive modeling, techno-economic analysis.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
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