Job Description

Requisition Id 16689

We are seeking a Geospatial Data Architect who will focus on designing and governing data ecosystems that support spatial analytics, modeling, and operational workflows. This position resides in the Geoinformatics Engineering Group in the Human Dynamics Section, Geospatial Science and Engineering Division, National Security Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Design and govern geospatial data architecture: Define scalable data models, storage patterns (e.g., Parquet/GeoParquet in object stores), and overall lakehouse/warehouse strategy to support spatial analytics and interoperability.
• Establish data standards, integration patterns, and lifecycle management: Oversee ingestion frameworks, metadata/cataloging (e.g., STAC), data versioning (e.g., DVC), and policy-driven management systems (e.g., iRODS, Globus), ensuring consistency, reproducibility, and accessibility.
• Optimize performance, scalability, and cross-team alignment: Implement efficient partitioning, indexing, and distributed processing strategies while coordinating with engineers and scientists to align infrastructure with geospatial workflows and analytical needs.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A BS or MS degree in Computer Science, Geospatial Science, Data Engineering, or related field
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in data architecture, engineering, or backend systems
• Strong understanding of data modeling (relational and non-relational)
• Experience with SQL and at least one major database system
• Familiarity with geospatial data types and tools (vector/raster concepts, GDAL, spatial indexing basics)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Parquet and GeoParquet, including hive-partitioning, partitioning strategies, compression, and query optimization in object storage environments
• Hands-on experience designing data systems on S3 or S3-compatible object storage platforms
• Design and operate modern geospatial data platforms, with a strong understanding of data lake/lakehouse/warehouse tradeoffs and governance (access control, policy enforcement, lifecycle management, etc.).
• Build scalable processing pipelines for large raster/vector datasets using distributed compute and spatial analytics tooling (e.g., Spark/Dask/Flink, Sedona/BigQuery GIS, etc.)
• Work with cloud-native geospatial formats and core spatial concepts (CRSs, transformations, spatial indexing such as H3/S2, etc.).
• Implement data management best practices across the lifecycle: versioning and reproducibility, metadata/catalogs and lineage, and reliable transfer/sharing (e.g., DVC-like tooling, STAC-like standards, DataHub/Amundsen, Globus/iRODS, etc.)
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Special Requirements:

• Q clearance with SCI: This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance from the Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program. In addition, due to the SCI, you may also be subject to random polygraph testing.
• Visa Sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Letters of Recommendation:

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to recruiting@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Hybrid Eligibility:

This position is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and requires onsite presence. We offer a flexible work environment that supports both the organization and the employee. A hybrid/onsite working arrangement may be available with this position, which provides flexibility to work periodically from your home, while reporting onsite to the Oak Ridge, Tennessee location on a weekly and regular basis.

Benefits at ORNL:

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.