Job Information
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Integrated Transmission-Distribution Grid Planning Researcher in Golden, Colorado
Posting Title
Integrated Transmission-Distribution Grid Planning Researcher
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Location
CO - Golden
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Position Type
Regular
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Hours Per Week
40
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Working at NREL
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
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.
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Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.
Job Description
Are you excited to help lead efforts to bring distribution and transmission together for a truly unified future grid? Want to explore and understand the engineering, techno-economic, and socio-technical opportunities of transmission-distribution interdependence while innovating to overcome corresponding challenges?
The Transmission and Distribution Interactions (T&D) group in the Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) at NREL is looking for an exceptional candidate to join our team and help lead research and develop cross-cutting strategy for real-world interdependent transmission-distribution grids and their interconnected energy systems such as electrified transportation, buildings, and industrial processes. You would work closely with other NREL leaders and experts to develop and implement a strategic research portfolio, lead in-depth technical analyses, develop innovative integrated modeling techniques, and synthesize results into insights and actionable strategies. You would work with others to lead technical teams of researchers from across NREL on high-impact projects with both industry partners and diverse research sponsors. And you would help advance the state-of-the-art through thought leadership on transmission-distribution integration.
The ideal candidate would bring a strong understanding of both transmission and distribution grids along with experience and/or interest in comfortably interacting directly with industry partners and funding sponsors; a passion for identifying new ideas, developing them into projects, and seeing them through to reality. They would also bring adroit enthusiasm across multiple research dimensions, from strategy and team building to implementation, from tool development to modeling at scale to distilling results for various audiences, and/or from direct hands-on work to effectively overseeing teams of others.
A sample of ongoing research you could help lead include: co-simulation and co-design frameworks for future clean power systems; integration of electrification and distributed energy resources into transmission and distribution systems; exploring physical, engineering, market, and regulatory interactions among transmission and distribution systems; working directly with U.S. and international communities to directly impact their pursuit of clean energy; techniques to capture highly locational aspects within large-scale analysis; integrating equity into grid systems planning; and much more.
We are researchers, engineers, software developers, modelers, physicists, product managers, thought leaders, system thinkers, and life-long learners. We strive to push the boundaries of innovation, integrated analysis, and computational tool development. Come join us in helping to innovate, inform, and create value for energy systems transitions, including renewable energy, distribution systems, transmission systems, energy storage, markets and economics, energy policy/regulation, and much more.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Develop and lead cutting-edge research on integrated grid systems.
Interface with external partners from industry, communities, government, and academia.
Develop a strategy and implement a corresponding portfolio of integrated grid planning research.
Translate results into actionable insights for a range of technical and non-technical audiences.
Lead/co-lead all sizes of researcher teams on high-impact projects.
Lead the development of high-impact industry partnerships and research proposals.
Look across NREL and outside research activities and connect with others for innovation and collaboration.
Translate projects and findings into publications including technical reports, conference papers, and journal articles.
Present work at conferences, workshops, and project meetings.
Work effectively with interdisciplinary teams of developers, engineers, and analysts
What we can offer:
A collaborative, supportive, flexible, and fun work environment
Mentoring, collaboration, and training to build upon or learn new technical skills
Interesting work where you don’t do the same thing every day
Projects, professional development, and growth opportunities to help you meet your career goals
A professional environment that encourages innovation and imaginative thinking to help transform the future electric power system
Adaptable schedule to promote work-life balance.
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Basic Qualifications
Relevant PhD and 9 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Master's Degree and 12 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 14 or more years of experience . Apply advanced engineering technical principles, theories and concepts. Contributes to the development of new principles and concepts. Considered a national subject matter expert. Demonstrates leadership in a number of areas including all team, task and/or project lead responsibilities (works independently). Demonstrated management of complex and/or impactful projects. Excellent writing, interpersonal and communication skills.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
Experience developing strategic roadmaps and executing them as effective research portfolios
Deep experience with techno-economic and socio-technical considerations for the integrated power system at both transmission and distribution scales.
Demonstrated leadership in a number of areas including all team, task and/or project lead responsibilities (works independently).
Understanding of risk trade-offs among stakeholders for different grid implementation strategies and approaches for managing such risks.
Ability to effectively interact with project partners, clients, funding sponsors and other technical and non-technical collaborators.
Demonstrated management of complex and/or impactful projects.
Contributes to the development of new principles and concepts.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with utility/ISO integrated resource planning, integrated distribution planning, and related activities, including workflows that integrate multiple software tools across all scales of the grid.
Experience analyzing large-scale future interconnected grid systems, including the role of for non-traditional solutions such as energy efficiency, demand-side management, distributed generation, and storage.
Strong understanding of electricity market operations, including multi-settlement, ancillary services, emerging reserve products, and opportunities for transmission-distribution interaction.
Strong understanding of various energy regulatory environments/jurisdictions and their impacts on grid planning and operations.
Familiarity with power systems modeling paradigms across both transmission and distribution—e.g. capacity expansion, production cost, hosting capacity, integrated volt/var control, stability assessment, dynamics, transient, balanced and multi-phase power flow, etc.—and common corresponding modeling tools.
Experience developing research proposals and leading the technical execution of research projects.
Ability to quickly grow the needs and requirements of research partners/funding agencies.
Proficiency with power systems operations, market, regulatory, and planning concepts across both transmission and distribution systems.
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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: Researcher V / Annual Salary Range: $114,500 - $206,100
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- and long-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; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement. 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. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.
* Based on eligibility rules
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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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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy’s effort to secure an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NREL is the primary laboratory for research, development, and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States.
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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.
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