AI Operations Engineer

argonne; Lemont (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory is seeking an operational expert to drive AI-enabled improvements within its Physical Sciences and Engineering Operations division. You will partner with functional leads to deploy AI-driven technologies, reducing manual touchpoints and boosting productivity across workflows.

The role blends operational process optimization with AI tooling, requiring communication across levels and the ability to coordinate matrixed teams for end-to-end delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with 2+ years of experience in operational roles.
• Experience delivering complex automation or process-improvement initiatives.
• Ability to influence roadmaps and align stakeholders across functions.
• Familiarity with AI tools and risk considerations in deployment.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize AI/automation opportunities within PSE Operations.
• Help define AI strategy for PSE Operations.
• Build agent-based workflows to automate/manual processes.
• Organize teams to create workflows, skills, and agents on approved platforms.
• Deliver end-to-end AI and automation solutions.
• Coordinate rollout, training, and adoption metrics for AI solutions.
• Provide hands-on support for AI tooling and workflow adaptations.
• Collaborate with IT on training, accelerators, and best practices.

Skills

LLM familiarity

AI tooling

APIs & integrations

Project management

Workflow documentation

Operational workflows

Communication across levels

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Power Automate

Forms

Lists

Job description

We are seeking an operational expert to drive the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities within Argonne’s Physical Sciences and Engineering Operations division. This new role will be responsible for partnering with functional leads and SMEs to deploy AI-driven technologies that reduce manual touchpoints across the operational functions. These solutions should power automation and innovation, increase productivity, improve scalability, and support scientific and operational teams.

We are looking for someone with experience with optimizing business processes and who is passionate about technology, including AI and automation. A successful candidate will strive to understand a variety of operational workflows, collaborate to get things done across a matrixed organization, and communicate effectively across multiple levels of the organization. Blending an understanding of operational workflows, project management, AI tooling, and business acumen, the ideal candidate will effectively utilize their diverse skillset to transform PSE Operations through AI and automation.

Key Responsibilities

• In partnership with functional leads, identify and prioritize AI and automation opportunities within PSE Operations
• Play a key role in defining PSE Operations’ AI strategy
• Build and maintain agent-based workflows that automate or augment manual processes
• Organize teams of knowledge workers and builders to create workflows, skills, and agents within approved platforms
• Develop the end-to-end delivery of AI and automation solutions
• Coordinate the operational rollout of AI solutions, including development, user training, and adoption measurement
• Provide hands‑on technical support when teams encounter issues with AI tools or need help adapting workflows to new use cases
• Act as a liaison to PSE’s IT organization to leverage training, accelerators, and best practices while contributing to broader AI enablement initiatives

Success in this role means

• PSE Operations has a prioritized pipeline of AI and automation opportunities
• High‑value workflows move from concept to production quickly
• Operational teams actively adopt the solutions
• Manual work and administrative touchpoints measurably decrease
• Reusable AI/automation patterns emerge across PSE Operations
• Teams develop greater capability and confidence in using AI

Position Requirements

• Bachelors and 2+ years of experience, or equivalent
• Experience identifying and delivering complex operational, process improvement, or automation projects initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to influence product roadmaps and align cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong proficiency in workflow documentation, technical analysis, project management, and product roadmaps
• Experience working in an operational support or administrative support position
• Deep, practical familiarity with LLMs and AI tools
• Working knowledge of Microsoft tools like Power Automate, Forms, Lists
• Demonstrated ability to assess AI solutions for reliability, security, data sensitivity, appropriate use, and operational risk
• Ability to connect APIs, work with databases, and build lightweight integrations. Candidates do not need to be a software engineer, but should be comfortable working with APIs, and using no-code/low-code platforms to get things done
• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience having improved operational or administrative workflows
• Experience working in an operational support role
• Experience with project management and workflow systems and tools

Job Family

Professional Technical (PT)

Job Profile

IT Multi-Functional 2

Worker Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

The expected hiring range for this position is $69,750.00 - $108,810.00.

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

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As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.

Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.

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