Postdoctoral Researcher: Power Systems Modeling and Analysis

Posting TitlePostdoctoral Researcher: Power Systems Modeling and Analysis

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypePostdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NLRNLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Price Signals for Grid Services Group within the Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is hiring a postdoctoral researcher to join a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative team of researchers developing and applying state-of-the art power system models to conduct leading-edge analyses.

GPAC research staff contribute to an exciting portfolio of energy research and analysis, applying advanced modeling and simulation tools to optimally plan for, design, and analyze distribution and bulk power systems to ensure reliability, affordability, and security. We are researchers, engineers, software developers, modelers, physicists, product managers, 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.

Example types of ongoing research and analysis include:

• Innovating new data, models, tools, and systems that are needed for the future grid
• Working directly with U.S. communities to support grid reliability, affordability, and security
• Examining the necessary grid services and market structures to support a reliable and affordable future grid
• Developing the design and integration of new technologies, loads, and systems

NLR is the nation's primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. We seek to bridge research with real-world applications to advance new energy materials and technologies that lower costs, boost the economy, strengthen security, and deliver abundant and reliable energy. We partner with DOE, other federal agencies, states, utilities, ISO/RTOs, communities, and technology developers on grid planning and analysis. Our work informs decision makers and utilities by developing and analyzing future grid scenarios that answer big questions about how the electric power system is transforming. Come join a team whose mission is to ensure a reliable, affordable, and secure energy system for the United States!

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

We are looking forward to welcoming a new postdoctoral researcher with expertise in power systems modeling to our team to conduct research around the future of the US power system. This postdoc will support model design and code development for long-term energy systems planning and analysis capabilities, with a focus on energy demand forecasting, load profiles for different end-use sectors, equipment stock turnover, and end-use technology adoption modeling. The candidate may also have the opportunity to engage on projects covering a broader set of crucial drivers to power sector evolution, including affordability, reliability, electricity markets, and transmission infrastructure growth/investment. Broadly, the candidate will be responsible for a variety of tasks including model development, data wrangling, conducting scenario analysis, communicating results internally and externally.

Specific job duties may include:

• Contributing to the development and implementation of new advanced methods for capacity expansion modeling,
• Researching rules, trends, and issues in power system planning and operation—e.g., transmission planning, changes in electricity demand, large load growth—and consider how to implement them into electric sector models,
• Executing quality control methods,
• Researching, acquisition, organization, and analysis of large data sets,
• Developing new data architectures to generically and flexibly describe infrastructure systems,
• Collaborating with analysts on other modeling teams to relate inputs and outputs across models
• Executing scenarios, and analyzing and interpreting results for reporting,
• Writing and publishing results of analyses in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports,
• Assisting in the development of proposals for new work

Please include a cover letter with your application.

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Basic QualificationsMust be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Proficiency using Python
• Knowledge of U.S. energy systems
• Proficiency in applied statistical methods and quantitative methods 
• Previous experience with energy and electricity modeling and data
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience presenting research findings to broad—technical and non-technical—audiences
• Exceptional writing skills and a demonstrated record of publication in the technical/peer-reviewed literature.

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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: $76,600 - $126,400

NLR 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 SummaryBenefits 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. NLR 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 RequirementNLR 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

NLR 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 NLR, 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 NLR 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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Equal Opportunity 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.

Reasonable Accommodations

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