Research Assistant Software Developer Jobs in Tennessee

Requisition Id 16789 

Overview:

We are seeking a Technical Professional who will focus on support to develop software to help create the digital factory of the future, assist industry in optimizing their organizations, and supporting the energy needs of the public. The successful candidate must be a highly motivated, self-starter who is comfortable working as part of a team. We’re looking for a proactive, collaborative engineer who thrives both independently and, in a team, with excellent written and verbal communication skills. This position resides in the Research Application Development in the Secure and Digital Manufacturing Section, Manufacturing Science Division, Energy Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

You will work at the MDF to advance digital manufacturing technologies and to accelerate their deployment to industry and national scale applications. The MDF hosts a diverse set of advanced manufacturing systems - including powder bed, directed energy deposition, machining, polymer, and convergent manufacturing systems – used to produce critical components from advanced materials.

These systems are instrumented and connected through a unified digital thread platform that captures multimodal, high-frequency data across the full manufacturing lifecycle, from process execution to post-process characterization. This environment enables the creation of high-fidelity digital twins and AI-ready datasets that support real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and process optimization.

In this role, you will assist in development and deployment of advanced data management platform. You will contribute to the development of integrated data workflows across distributed systems. You will communicate with machine operators, researchers, project PIs and other stakeholders and contribute to high-impact programs. This role offers the opportunity to work on diverse, high-impact problems and to shape the future of intelligent manufacturing.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with researchers, engineers, and manufacturing technicians to digitize and standardize manufacturing workflows for integration into a data management platform.
• Develop workflow-specific data entry forms, metadata schemas, validation rules, and user interfaces to support new research activities.
• Coordinate onboarding of new projects by configuring platform modules, developing new data entry forms, and enabling workflow-specific functionalities.

• Provide ongoing support and deliver software enhancements for existing systems using Python, Django and JavaScript.

• Provide technical support and user training, gather feedback and drive improvements to usability and adoption.
• Create and maintain documentation for digital workflows, onboarding procedures, user guides, and configuration standards.
• Participate in testing new platform features, performing quality assurance, and validating software releases before deployment.
• Partner with platform developers to implement new capabilities and continuously improve existing workflows.
• Champion data quality, consistency, and FAIR data practices across manufacturing and materials science projects.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS/BA in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, or a related discipline
• Prior software development experience.
• Experience developing software using Python and JavaScript.
• Familiarity with web application development concepts and technologies including HTML, CSS, and Django.
• Ability to understand user requirements and translate them into practical software configurations.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively within a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with researchers, engineers, and software developers.
• Interest in scientific software development, data management, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with the Django framework.
• Experience with Git and collaborative software development workflows.
• Experience with Linux command-line environments.
• Experience configuring web applications or developing internal business applications.
• Experience providing technical support or working directly with end users.
• Familiarity with manufacturing techniques
• Familiarity with relational databases such as PostgreSQL.

Special Requirements:

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

About ORNL:

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.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

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.