Research Staff 3/4 (RS-3/4) – (Assistant / Associate) Artificial Intelligence Scientist

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Position Description

The AI Department within Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Computing and Data Sciences Directorate invites exceptional candidates to apply for this position focused on machine learning (ML). This position offers a unique opportunity to conduct both basic and applied research in collaboration with Brookhaven Lab staff, the Department of Energy (DOE), and external partners.

Topics of particular interest include the novel development and application of machine learning models—such as large language models, multi-modal foundation models, agentic AI, embodied AI, human-AI collaboration systems, computer vision (CV) models, and natural language processing (NLP) models. Candidates with expertise in any of these areas are encouraged to apply, as the position is designed to support a wide range of cutting-edge ML research directions that advance scientific discovery.

This position provides access to world-class computing and data resources, such as Brookhaven Lab’s Institutional Cluster and DOE leadership computing facilities, ensuring the successful candidate will have the necessary tools to tackle challenging DOE problems. The successful candidate will join a growing, interdisciplinary team whose projects span laboratory-level and nationally significant DOE missions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop novel machine learning algorithms and conduct computational experiments at scale.
• Independently lead or significantly contribute to interdisciplinary projects.
• Disseminate research findings in peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, project reports, and seminars.
• Actively contribute to proposal preparation and submission, seeking external research funding aligned with Brookhaven and DOE priorities.
• Develop and sustain collaborations with internal and external partners, including universities, national labs, and industry.

Position Requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years, or Master’s and 6+ years, or Ph.D. with 2+ years post-PhD.
• Strong record of AI/ML research accomplishment, supported by strong publication record.
• Recognized internally and externally as an active contributor in ML research.
• Demonstrated ability to work on the interdisciplinary team.
• Strong programming skills and familiarity with deep learning libraries.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree and 12+ years, or Master’s and 9+ years,
  or PhD and 4+ years post-PhD.
• Expertise with foundation models, large vision-language models, or large-scale deep learning training.
• Experience with agentic AI, embodied AI, human-AI collaboration, surrogate models, or trustworthy AI.
• Expertise in multidisciplinary collaborations, spanning computational science, physics, chemistry, biology, or energy sciences.
• Familiarity with modern software engineering practices for scalable AI research.
• Experience in contributing to or preparing funding proposals.

Other information:

Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. This is a multi-level role and the full salary range for this position is $ 103650 - $188400/year. You will be placed at the level and salary commensurate with your experience.  Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.

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