Backend Software Engineer II (seattle, WA)

Software Engineer Opportunity At Pnnl

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments referred 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 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.

We are seeking a motivated software engineer to join our dynamic team at PNNL and contribute to cutting-edge projects that shape the future of critical technology supporting national security and intelligence. In this role, you'll collaborate with experienced engineers to design, build, and optimize scalable systems for processing multi-modal intelligence data at a remarkable scale and speed. This hands-on position offers a unique opportunity to grow your skills in AI/ML engineering, data orchestration, and system architecture while delivering impactful solutions in a fast-paced environment where agility and reliability are key to success.

As a software engineer on PNNL's software engineering and architectures (SEA) team, you'll have the chance to shape mission-critical AI systems, help build enterprise-scale data platforms, and gain hands-on experience with some of the nation's most sophisticated intelligence and security applications. You'll receive mentorship from senior engineers, collaborate with research scientists, and see your code deployed in production systems that directly support national security missions.

What you'll build & learn:

• AI systems development – contribute to agentic AI implementations, work with LLM integrations, learn MLOps best practices on real-world applications
• intelligence platform development – build components for multi-INT fusion systems, develop GEOINT processing tools, contribute to threat analysis platforms
• data engineering – develop data pipelines, build analytics workflows, contribute to cloud-native data architectures
• professional growth – receive mentorship from senior engineers, participate in code reviews, learn enterprise software development practices

Technical skills (we'll help you grow):

• programming foundation – solid Python skills, experience with one additional language (C#/.Net, JavaScript, Java, or similar)
• platform experience – basic cloud experience (AWS, Azure, or GCP), familiarity with Linux environments
• development practices – understanding of version control (Git), exposure to CI/CD, basic Agile/Scrum experience
• data & databases – experience with SQL, basic understanding of data processing concepts
• eagerness to learn – interest in AI/ML technologies, geospatial systems, large-scale data processing

What we offer:

• accelerated learning – work with cutting-edge AI and data technologies while receiving guidance from industry experts
• meaningful impact – see your contributions deployed in systems that protect national security
• career growth – clear advancement path with mentorship and technical skill development opportunities
• cutting-edge technology – hands-on experience with the latest AI, cloud, and data engineering technologies

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
• applying big data solutions to national security problems
• applying image classification for nuclear forensics analysis
• develop capabilities for scalable geospatial analytics

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

Minimum qualifications:

• PhD -OR-
• MS/MA -OR-
• BS/BA and 2 years of relevant experience

Preferred qualifications:

• degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field
• experience in building and deploying petabyte size large-scale and high-performance ETL pipelines and analytics
• demonstrated proficiency in Python and least one other language (C#/.NET, C++, Go)
• experience collaborating with a team of software engineers to design, build, and deliver complex software applications
• strong understanding of software engineering and data management best practices
• experience in cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, GCP) and implementation
• possession of professional certifications in cloud technologies or database certifications
• familiarity with machine learning algorithms with hands-on experience in machine learning pipeline development
• experience delivering software solutions for agencies such as the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, or National Nuclear Security Administration.
• possession of an active federal Q clearance

Hazardous working conditions/environment: not applicable.

Additional information:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance. A security clearance background investigation includes review of your employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with you and your personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines your foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

Requirements:

• U.S. citizenship
• background investigation: applicants selected will be subject to a federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
• drug testing: all security clearance positions are testing designated positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite questionnaire for national security positions (QNSP).

Note: applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.

Testing designated position:

This position is a testing designated position (TDP). The candidate selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with the controlled substances act and the PNNL workplace substance abuse program.

About PNNL:

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of integrity, creativity, collaboration, impact, and courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned researchers on meaningful science, innovations and outcomes for the U.S. Department of Energy and other sponsors; here is your chance to be one of them!

At PNNL, you will find an exciting research environment and excellent benefits including health insurance, and flexible work schedules. PNNL is located in eastern Washington State—the dry side of Washington known for its stellar outdoor recreation and affordable cost of living. The Lab’s campus is only a 45-minute flight (or ~3 hour drive) from Seattle or Portland, and is serviced by the convenient PSC airport, connected to 8 major hubs.

Commitment to excellence and equal employment opportunity:

Our laboratory is committed to fostering a work environment where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect while solving critical challenges in fundamental sciences, national security, and energy resiliency. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. PNNL considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), protected veteran status, and any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local laws.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in