AI Infrastructure and Advanced Computing Scientist (Scientist 3/4)

Los Alamos National Security LLC; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 128,000 - 267,000; Full time

Job summary

Los Alamos National Security LLC seeks a Scientist 3/4 to provide technical leadership across AI and advanced computing testbeds, institutional AI infrastructure, and applied‑AI projects. You will integrate architectures, evaluate accelerators, and collaborate with researchers, security, and operations to move prototypes into reliable capabilities.

This role requires strong systems development experience in Linux environments, reproducible experiments, and the ability to mentor staff and

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of AI/ML systems, HPC, architecture, distributed systems.
• Experience designing reproducible computational experiments and analyzing results.
• Ability to lead complex technical projects and mentor staff.
• Communicate findings clearly across research, operations, security, and programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the integration and evaluation of emerging computing architectures, accelerators, and software stacks for scientific simulation, data analysis, and AI.
• Architect and mature AI services that span model serving, retrieval and agentic workflows, GPU resources, orchestration, observability, and on-premises or cloud environments.
• Develop reproducible experiments and benchmarks to assess performance, scalability, reliability, usability, cost, and mission suitability.
• Partner with researchers, computing operations, cybersecurity organizations, and vendors to define requirements, resolve technical risks, and move prototypes into reliable use.
• Strengthen applied-AI delivery through technical consultation, project triage, reusable components, documentation, training, mentoring, and effective handoff to mission teams.

Skills

AI/ML expertise

Linux systems

Experiment design

Technical leadership

Cross-organizational collaboration

Education

Master's degree in STEM

Tools

Kubernetes/OpenShift

Containers

HPC workload managers

DevOps practices

Hybrid cloud/HPC environments

Job description

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

Help shape the AI and advanced-computing capabilities that enable scientific discovery and national-security missions. The Applied Computer Science Group (CAI-1) is seeking a Scientist 3/4 to provide technical leadership across emerging-computing testbeds, institutional AI infrastructure, and applied-AI projects.

In this role, you will combine hand-on technical work with cross-organizational leadership. You will evaluate new computing technologies, develop secure and scalable AI services, and help Laboratory teams turn promising AI concepts into useful, sustainable capabilities.

You will:

• Lead the integration and evaluation of emerging computing architectures, accelerators, and software stacks for scientific simulation, data analysis, and AI.
• Architect and mature AI services that span model serving, retrieval and agentic workflows, GPU resources, orchestration, observability, and on-premises or cloud environments.
• Develop reproducible experiments and benchmarks to assess performance, scalability, reliability, usability, cost, and mission suitability.
• Partner with researchers, computing operations, cybersecurity organizations, and vendors to define requirements, resolve technical risks, and move prototypes into reliable use.
• Strengthen applied-AI delivery through technical consultation, project triage, reusable components, documentation, training, mentoring, and effective handoff to mission teams.

This position may be filled at either the Scientist 3 or Scientist 4 level, depending on the selected candidate's qualifications.

Scientist 3 - $128,000-$215,900

At the Scientist 3 level, you will lead major technical efforts and multidisciplinary project teams.

Scientist 4 - $153,600-$266,500

At the Scientist 4 level, you will serve as a Laboratory-level technical authority, establish strategy and architecture across organizations, and build institutional capabilities and programs.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

• Technical expertise: Advanced knowledge in one or more relevant areas, such as AI/ML systems, high-performance computing, computer architecture, distributed systems, accelerated computing, cloud-native platforms, or scientific software infrastructure.
• Systems development and integration: Demonstrated experience developing, integrating, or evaluating complex computing systems in Linux environments, including multiple layers such as compute, storage, networking, containers, orchestration, schedulers, model runtimes, data services, or monitoring.
• Experimental evaluation: Experience designing reproducible computational experiments, analyzing performance or system behavior, and using results to guide architecture or technology decisions.
• Technical leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, establish scope and priorities, coordinate multidisciplinary contributors, manage risks, and deliver results; experience mentoring staff or students.
• Collaboration and communication: Ability to work effectively across research, operational, security, and program organizations and communicate technical findings, tradeoffs, and recommendations through clear writing and presentations.

Additional Job Requirements for Scientist 4

• Institutional impact: Significant technical achievements that have advanced AI, computing, research, or mission capabilities at a Laboratory-wide or comparable institutional scale.
• Technical strategy: Demonstrated experience establishing architectures, standards, roadmaps, or investment direction for complex computing capabilities.
• Cross-organizational leadership: Success leading large, multidisciplinary, high-risk efforts and serving as an authority for consequential technical decisions.
• Capability development: Demonstrated success building teams, funded programs, or strategic partnerships and advising senior organizational or government leaders.

Education / Experience

Scientist 3: A' s master's degree in a relevant STEM discipline from an accredited institution and six years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly applicable education and experience.

Scientist 4: A' s master's degree in a relevant STEM discipline from an accredited institution and twelve years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly applicable education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with GPUs or other accelerators, heterogeneous computing, parallel programming, performance analysis, or AI frameworks.
• Experience with Kubernetes or OpenShift, containers, HPC workload managers, DevOps practices, and hybrid cloud/HPC environments.
• Experience with large-language-model inference, AI gateways, retrieval-augmented generation, vector databases