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Radar and Optics Applications Staff Assistant

Oak Ridge National Laboratory
United States, Tennessee, Oak Ridge
1 Bethel Valley Road (Show on map)
Apr 24, 2026

Requisition Id16323

Overview:
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.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) conducts research, development, and deployment of radar and optics technologies to address national security and other worldwide challenges. Our research and development capabilities include radar and optics technologies, radio frequency (RF) communications, computational imaging, artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML), neuromorphic sensing, video super-resolution, electromagnetics, real-time systems, data mining and analysis, high performance computing, cyber security protection for radar and related training systems, signal processing, and software development. In general, activities involve first-class interdisciplinary research with multiple research groups at ORNL, collaborations with private industry and academic partners across the nation, and mission-specific support for our national security research sponsors. ORNL thrives in a culture of respect, diversity, curiosity, and discovery.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

As a full-time Assistant Staff Member, you will support research staff on research projects and provide technical engineering support, technology assessments, engineering analysis, engineering studies, design reviews, and specifications development for upgrading existing radar and optical tracking systems and developing new radar and optical tracking systems for the Department of Energy (DoE) and other government agencies (OGAs). As part of your routine tasks, you may be required to:

  • Assist in the development and prototyping of radar and optical tracking systems, neuromorphic sensor systems, radar transponders, and advanced sensor fusion technologies
  • Apply AI/ML to improve detection and identification of radar and optical tracking systems, or execute radar and optics systems performance tests and analyze the results to influence strategic national security decisions.

In short, you will help envision, design, develop, test, and deploy radar and optics technologies to support national security needs.

The position requires development of innovative solutions for general radar and optics challenges and collaboration with other team members for the development of technical demonstrations, proposals, oral presentations, and publications. No less important, the interdisciplinary nature of projects demands strong interpersonal skills, evidence of working well in teams, and an expected desire to seek and develop healthy relationships. Finally, the position requires a passion for mission-focused National Security challenges.

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:

  • BS, MS or PhD degree with experience in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a science related field.
  • Proven experience in radar and optics applications.
  • Excellent communication skills for conveying technical material to both scientists and non-scientists in both written and oral presentations.
  • Self-disciplined work ethic and eagerness to tackle challenging research problems.
  • Strong desire to work in a team environment.
  • Ability to obtain a security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with prototyping RF electronics in a lab environment.
  • Experience with AI/ML.
  • Experience with RF signature recognition and classification algorithms.
  • Experience with Computational Imaging and Image Reconstruction techniques.

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Sensitive 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 the SCI, you may be also be subject to random polygraph testing.

This position is a full-time staff position.

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.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

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.

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