Building Operations & Controls Engineer 2

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Flexible work schedules

Job summary

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) invites applications for a Building Operations and Controls Engineer within the Buildings Systems Group. You will improve energy and water efficiency, test new technologies, and integrate complex control systems in federal and commercial facilities.

Ideal candidates will have expertise in building HVAC control systems, data analysis of control performance, and development of diagnostic methods.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field with 2 years’ relevant experience OR
• MS/MA in a related field OR
• PhD in a related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead building controls and HVAC research initiatives for federal and commercial facilities.
• Develop and apply Building Re-tuning™ and predictive fault diagnostics methods.
• Mentor junior staff and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across the division.

Skills

Building energy systems

Data analysis

Python/R

Technical writing

DoD/federal facilities experience

Education

BS/BA

MS/MA

PhD

Tools

eQUEST

EnergyPlus

BAS data analysis

Job description

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Integrated Discovery Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

TheEnergy and Environment Directoratedeliversscience and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system; and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

TheElectricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, is accelerating the transition to an efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through basic and applied research. We leverage a strong technical foundation in power and energy systems and advanced data analytics to drive innovation, transform markets, and shape energy policy.

Responsibilities

The Buildings Systems Group is seeking a Building Operations and Controls Engineer to join our team of building controls experts working to improve energy and water efficiency and resilience, test and demonstrate new technologies and methodologies, and facilitate complex controls systems integration in federal and commercial facilities. This position offers a unique opportunity to develop, demonstrate, and learn from novel approaches to Building Re-tuning™, building control systems integration, and predictive fault detection and diagnostics. We are looking for candidates with familiarity and practical experience with building HVAC control systems (design, programming, commissioning, or operations), analyzing control system data to optimize building performance, and developing diagnostic and prognostic methods to enable more timely and proactive operation and maintenance of buildings and HVAC systems.

PNNL’s Buildings Systems Group performs applied research to enhance energy and water efficiency, occupant productivity, and resilient operation of buildings and their connected energy and water systems. Our core research capabilities span building performance evaluation, building control system optimization, and site-level assessment and planning for energy and water resilience. We work closely with over 370 subject matter experts across the broader Electricity Infrastructure & Buildings Division to support the Nation’s transition to a sustainable, efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through innovation and actionable solutions.

The Successful Candidate Will Be Accountable To

• Project Managers and/or Task leads for performing assigned roles, following applicable project and field procedures, and performance of assigned tasks on time and within budget.
• The Buildings Systems Group Leader and Team Leader for staff development, performance evaluation, and operational discipline (e.g., safe operations).

The candidate we are looking for is an individual who has a recognized reputation of applying building science and engineering principles and theories to proposing new ideas and solving buildings operations and controls challenges in federal and commercial facilities. The individual will provide guidance on assignments to more junior staff and develop technical approaches to solve building controls and HVAC-related research challenges. Leads development of technical products, such as technical reports and journal articles, and presents at national conferences and technical forums. Defines and leads projects/tasks, reporting results on time and on budget. Provides leadership to proposals for new work. Teams with staff across the group and division to share resources and optimize approaches. Mentors junior staff and/or students.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 2 years of relevant experience -OR-
• MS/MA -OR-
• PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Science, Architectural Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience analyzing building- or campus-scale energy and water systems to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for energy and water efficiency improvements (e.g., ASHRAE Level II).
• Experience using whole-building energy modeling and simulation tools (e.g., eQUEST, EnergyPlus).
• Experience analyzing building automation system (BAS) or building control system data to evaluate HVAC system performance and identify operational improvement opportunities.
• Experience supporting experimental research, technology demonstrations, or pilot projects.
• Experience using programming or scripting languages (e.g., Python, R) for data analysis, automation, or visualization.
• Experience supporting research or engineering projects at Department of Defense (DoD) installations or other federal facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts clearly through written reports, presentations, and interactions with project sponsors and stakeholders. A technical writing sample will be requested during the interview process.
• Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, and commitment to continuous learning in building energy systems, energy efficiency, and resilience.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% to support field work, technology demonstrations, sponsor engagements, and other project-related activities.

Hazardous Working Conditions/Environment

None

Additional Information

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.

A security clearance background investigation includes review of your employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with you and your personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines your foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
• Drug Testing: All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).

Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.

Testing Designated Position

This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). The candidate selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and the PNNL Workplace Substance Abuse Program.

About PNNL

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of Integrity, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned researchers on meaningful science, innovations and outcomes for the U.S. Department of Energy and other sponsors; here is your chance to be one of them!

At PNNL, you will find an exciting research environment and excellent benefits including health insurance, and flexible work schedules. PNNL is located in eastern Washington State—the dry side of Washington known for its stellar outdoor recreation and affordable cost of living. The Lab’s campus is only a 45-minute flight (or ~3 hour drive) from Seattle or Portland, and is serviced by the convenient PSC airport, connected to 8 major hubs.

Commitment to Excellence and Equal Employment Opportunity

Our laboratory is committed to fostering a work environment where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect while solving critical challenges in fundamental sciences, national security,