Researcher III – Applied Inverter-Based Resource Controls

Location

CO – Golden

Position Type

Regular

Hours Per Week

40

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.

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.

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

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the nation’s primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL conducts world-class energy research in the public interest. Nestled in the foothills of Golden, Colorado, and convenient to Denver, Boulder, and several suburbs, the NREL campus is a living experiment filled with expert researchers and advanced energy technologies. Further, NREL has specific capabilities (e.g., the Energy Systems Integration Facility [ESIF] and the Advanced Research for Integrated Energy Systems [ARIES]) that provide many opportunities for innovative and impactful electric grid-related research that can be accomplished at no other place in the world.

With the rapid transition of the U.S. electrical grid from largely synchronous machine generation-based to a system that is ever more dependent of inverter-based resources (IBRs), both in the form of generation and load, there is increasing need for expertise in the area of IBR controls (e.g., grid-forming inverters, advanced inverter controls, etc.). The successful candidate will conduct research on one or more projects focused on the development of novel IBR controls to mitigate IBR impacts such as, low inherent inertia, low fault duty and spurious tripping of generation during abnormal events. The toolsets within this research area are also evolving rapidly and the successful candidate will also likely develop hybridized modeling tools as needed in this area.

Further, the successful candidate will have an extensive knowledge of power systems including protection methods, dynamic responses of typical power system components, and system response to abnormal system conditions (faults, weather events, etc.). Participation in the development of successful research proposals is a must for this position.

Organizationally, this position resides in the Integrated Devices and Systems Group (IDS) of the Power Systems and Engineering Center (PSEC). IDS, PSEC, and NREL are committed to fostering a creative, curiosity-driven, inclusive workplace, and to supporting and mentoring research staff as they progress from task execution to principal investigator and beyond.

Basic Qualifications

Relevant PhD . Or, relevant Master’s Degree and 3 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelor’s Degree and 5 or more years of experience . Demonstrates broad understanding and wide application of engineering technical procedures, principles, theories and concepts in the field. General knowledge of other related disciplines. Demonstrates leadership in one or more areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities. Demonstrated experience in management of projects. Very good writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Education and experience

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent related degree) with experience in IBR modeling.
• Working knowledge of industry dynamic/transient modeling methods and available models.
• Previous experience in power system modeling using at least one common modeling tool.
• Experience developing IBR models.
• Strong technical writing skills evident from the publication record.
• Ability to present technical results to a wide audience.

Research interests

• Strong interests in the renewable led future of the U.S. energy system, including renewable energy, electrification, and distributed energy resources.
• Dedication to collaboratively developing tractable IBR and power system models that are relevant to both the research and utility stakeholders.
• Enthusiastic about learning new skills and applying them in a collaborative environment to help address critical energy system research questions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with modeling including both distribution and transmission systems.
• Experience with modeling of inverter-based resources (IBR) including wind, solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• Previous experience writing research proposals.

Preferred Qualifications

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 III / Annual Salary Range: $79,600 – $143,300

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

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.

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.

EEO is the Law | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.