ResponsibilitiesWe are seeking a talented
Lead Full-Stack Product Engineer to help design and build the human-facing layer for next-generation AI systems at PNNL. You will develop intuitive, trustworthy, and effective interfaces that help people work with complex data, dynamic content, and user-facing AI agents.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role with substantial independence in ambiguous, high-impact areas. You will help set product direction, translate open mission needs into executable plans, establish reusable UI and platform foundations, and partner with researchers, engineers, designers, mission experts, sponsors, and end users to turn emerging ideas into products that are technically sound and genuinely valuable.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and development of production web applications and reusable interface architectures using React, TypeScript and/or JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
- Define product direction and technical approaches for adaptive, data-intensive experiences that support collaboration between people and AI agents.
- Translate ambiguous mission needs, competing priorities, and unclear constraints into credible technical plans, including an MVP, sequencing, dependencies, risks, and explicit tradeoffs.
- Work across the stack to ensure interfaces are supported by reliable APIs, data services, authentication, observability, deployment practices, and maintainable technical foundations.
- Design AI-assisted and human-in-the-loop workflows with appropriate transparency, user control, feedback, approval, and recovery when an AI agent is uncertain or wrong.
- Contribute production-quality code while setting a high bar for usability, accessibility, performance, security, observability, maintainability, and visual craft.
- Lead and mentor engineers across experience levels through code and design review, pairing, technical direction, and career guidance; raise engineering standards across the team.
- Lead technical content for proposals, scope and shape new efforts, identify sponsor opportunities, and represent the group's capabilities to sponsors, collaborators, and the broader community.
- Guide products from early concept through operational use and continuously improve how the team discovers, designs, builds, evaluates, and learns from what it delivers.
This position is based in Richland, WA and requires an onsite presence. QualificationsMinimum Qualifications:
- PhD and 3 years of Software Engineering experience -OR-
- MS/MA and 5 years of Software Engineering experience -OR-
- BS/BA and 7 years of Software Engineering experience -OR-
- AA and 16 years of Software Engineering experience in designing, architecting, programming, deploying, and automating software solutions in support of scientific research or consumer digital product development -OR-
- HS/GED and 18 years of Software Engineering experience in designing, architecting, programming, deploying, and automating software solutions in support of scientific research or consumer digital product development
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated technical influence or thought leadership through open-source maintainership, technical publications or talks, recognized domain expertise, community building, or initiatives that elevate others in the technical community.
- Experience translating ambiguous mission needs into actionable roadmaps, guiding teams through MVP scoping, dependency sequencing, and evolving requirements while managing risks.
- Experience mentoring engineers at various levels through code and design reviews, pairing, career guidance, and preparing them for larger technical scopes.
- Experience building production web applications, reusable component libraries, and complex, data-rich, responsive user interfaces using React, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
- Experience applying user-centered product development practices such as interaction design, information architecture, usability testing, prototyping, and requirements gathering with modern frontend and backend technologies.
- Experience designing and developing interfaces and backend services for AI-assisted workflows, including user controls, feedback mechanisms, and oversight to improve trust, transparency, and explainability.
- Experience leading technical direction, establishing engineering best practices, securing funding, and demonstrating technical influence through open-source, publications, talks, or community initiatives.
Hazardous Working Conditions/EnvironmentNot applicable.
Additional InformationThis 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:
"Referral Eligible"
Rockstar RewardsEmployees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance*, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support. Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan* and may enroll in our 401 (k) savings plan with company match*. Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.
* Research Associates excluded.
**All benefits are dependent upon eligibility.
Click Here For Rockstar Rewards
Notice to ApplicantsPNNL lists the full pay range for the position in the job posting. Starting pay is calculated from the minimum of the pay range and actual placement in the range is determined based on an individual's relevant job-related skills, qualifications, and experience. This approach is applicable to all positions, with the exception of positions governed by collective bargaining agreements and certain limited-term positions which have specific pay rules.
As part of our commitment to fair compensation practices, we do not ask for or consider current or past salaries in making compensation offers at hire. Instead, our compensation offers are determined by the specific requirements of the position, prevailing market trends, applicable collective bargaining agreements, pay equity for the position type, and individual qualifications and skills relevant to the performance of the position.
Minimum SalaryUSD $161,300.00/Yr.
Maximum SalaryUSD $255,000.00/Yr.
