Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a national laboratory focused on science-based, mission-focused solutions for national security and other complex challenges. The Principal Advisor will define research priorities and develop AI-enabled, data-intensive programs while building sponsor relationships, leading multidisciplinary partnerships, advising senior leaders, and mentoring staff.
Responsibilities
- Set the research direction for data-enabled science
- Work with sponsors and PNNL leaders to identify priority science challenges, then translate them into focused research questions, success measures, and investment roadmaps
- Shape a coherent portfolio spanning areas such as computational biology/chemistry and AI-enabled research
- Develop and grow sponsor-driven research programs
- Establish and strengthen relationships with government sponsors and mature high-value concepts into funded, multi-year research programs with defined mission outcomes
- Align scientific objectives with sponsor requirements, policy and operational constraints, technology readiness, and pathways for transition or adoption
- Lead multidisciplinary teams and partnerships
- Build durable collaborations with government agencies, national laboratories, universities, and industry; lead working sessions that produce clear requirements, decisions, and follow-on actions
- Advise senior leaders and strengthen staff capability
- Brief senior government and laboratory leaders on emerging analytical approaches, clearly communicating technical implications, limitations, and investment choices
- Mentor staff on sponsor engagement, program development, and executive communication while ensuring technical and analytic products are rigorous, policy-relevant, and actionable
Skills
- BS/BA and 13 years of experience developing or leading research programs
- MS/MA or higher and 11 years of experience developing or leading research programs
- Experience briefing and supporting senior U.S. Government leaders
- This is a remote position within the United States and requires regular travel to Richland, WA, Seattle, WA, and sponsor or partner locations
- This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance
- U.S. Citizenship
- Advanced degree in a life science discipline
- Demonstrated technical fluency in both life science and data-intensive analytical methods
- Documented success defining a new research direction and growing it into one or more externally funded, multi-year programs
- Five or more years leading multidisciplinary teams or portfolios that included both life scientists and data scientists, computational researchers, or engineers
- Demonstrated experience establishing research partnerships across at least three of the following: government agencies, national laboratories, universities, nonprofit research organizations, and industry
- Experience in a DOE national laboratory or a comparable federally funded research and development center
- Active clearance
Benefits
- Employees and their families are offered medical insurance.
- Employees and their families are offered dental insurance.
- Employees and their families are offered vision insurance.
- Employees and their families are offered robust telehealth care options.
- Employees and their families are offered several mental health benefits.
- Employees and their families are offered free wellness coaching.
- Employees and their families are offered a health savings account.
- Employees and their families are offered flexible spending accounts.
- Employees and their families are offered basic life insurance.
- Employees and their families are offered disability insurance (Research Associates excluded).
- Employees and their families are offered an employee assistance program.
- Employees and their families are offered business travel insurance.
- Employees and their families are offered tuition assistance.
- Employees and their families are offered relocation assistance.
- Employees and their families are offered backup childcare.
- Employees and their families are offered legal benefits.
- Employees and their families are offered supplemental parental bonding leave.
- Employees and their families are offered surrogacy and adoption assistance.
- Employees and their families are offered fertility support.
- Employees are automatically enrolled in the company-funded pension plan (Research Associates excluded).
- Employees may enroll in the 401(k) savings plan with company match (Research Associates excluded).
- Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year.
- Employees may receive ten paid holidays per year.
- Flexible work schedules.
Company Overview