Job Description

Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher - Thermal Energy Systems

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NREL

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.

Job Description

NREL is looking for a postdoctoral researcher the Thermal Energy Systems group within our to join the Energy Conversion & Storage Systems Center (ECaSS) . Our research staff contribute to an exciting portfolio of renewable thermal technologies and energy research & analysis. Renewable thermal energy technologies include geothermal, solar thermal, thermal energy storage and relevant hybrid energy systems. However, the focus of this position is grid modeling, by evaluating impact of integrating renewable thermal systems.

We are researchers, engineers, modelers, thought leaders, system thinkers, and life-long learners. Our staff engage in different research projects and find ways to contribute uniquely based on our interests and skillsets. This role will focus on planning timescale analysis related to resource adequacy, resilience, and capacity expansion.

Come join a team whose mission is to innovate, inform, and create value for energy systems transitions, including renewable energy, distribution systems, transmission systems, energy storage, markets and economics and much more!

Research and analysis topics relevant for this position: 

• Analysis of the thermal energy systems including geothermal, solar thermal, thermal energy storage and hybrid thermal energy systems,

• Exploration of impact of evolving system conditions and policy on resource adequacy and resilience,

• Evaluation of the impacts and developing mitigation strategies of energy resilience and extreme events,

• Examination of impacts of renewal thermal technologies and examination of impact to the power sector and beyond, and

• Development of the design and integration of new technologies and systems

We partner with DOE, other federal agencies, states, utilities, ISO/RTOs, communities, and technology developers on grid planning and analysis. Our work informs policymakers and utilities by developing and analyzing future grid scenarios that answer big questions about how the electric power system is transforming, in conjunction of evolution of renewal thermal technologies.  

Job responsibilities may include: 

• Developing and advancing grid modeling tools

• Development of novel data, models, tools, and systems that are needed for the future grid,

• Research, acquisition, organization, and analysis of large data sets

• Executing models, analyzing, and interpreting results

• Project coordination with teams

• Researching, acquiring, organizing, and analysis of large data sets

• Contributing to the writing of results and analyses in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports

• Communicating findings with both internal and external stakeholders

• Collaborating with other researchers, industry, and communities

The expected start date for this position will be in January or February 2025 and is therefore not open to individuals who are graduating after this time..

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Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work independently and in team settings.

• Domain knowledge of bulk power system modeling, such as capacity expansion, resource adequacy, and/or production cost modeling

• Demonstrated experience in power systems analysis, including topics such as reliability, resilience, resource adequacy, policy, and energy systems integration

• Demonstrated experience in optimization modeling, including proficiency with a programming language such as GAMS, Python, and/or Julia.

• Experience with working with large data sets.

• An interest in power system issues

Preferred Qualifications

• Bulk power system domain knowledge about investment/planning processes, grid operations, markets, regulatory processes, etc.

• Experience with software engineering practices, including version control systems, automated testing frameworks, and continuous integration pipelines.

• Familiar with renewable technologies such as geothermal, solar thermal,  and thermal energy storage

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $73,200 - $120,800

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NREL 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 required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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