AI Operations Engineer

Argonne National Laboratory; Lemont (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL, seeks an operational expert to drive AI capabilities within the Physical Sciences and Engineering Operations division. The role partners with functional leads to deploy AI-driven automation that reduces manual touchpoints and increases productivity.

You will organize teams, define AI strategy, develop end-to-end delivery, and ensure rollout with training and adoption metrics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's and 2+ years of experience, or equivalent.

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

Skills

Workflow documentation

Project management

Technical analysis

APIs & no-code/low-code

AI tools & LLMs

Data integration

Operational support background

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder alignment

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.

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.

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