Senior Grid Planning & Analysis Researcher

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.

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

Interested in helping shape the future of the grid? Developing new planning and analysis techniques? And using your skills to help utilities, ISO/TSOs, communities, public utility commissions, and more transform both domestic and international grids?

We are looking for one or more senior electricity system planner(s)/analyst(s) to join the Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) at NREL. You would join researchers from across NREL in cutting edge efforts to optimally plan for, design, and analyze distribution and bulk power systems with research sponsors and grid-operators from around the world.

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.

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.

Examples Of Ongoing Research And Analyses Include

• Innovating new data, models, tools, and systems needed for the future grid
• Conducting advanced integrated system planning at all scales including: inverter-based resources, transmission optimization, distributed energy resource integration, equity and community impacts, and multi-energy systems.
• Working directly with U.S. and international communities to inform their pursuit of clean energy.
• Examining the necessary grid services and market structures to support the future grid.
• Assessing the integration of new technologies and systems both nation-wide and for specific areas.
• Studying the impacts and developing mitigation strategies of climate change and extreme events on the grid

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.

Job Responsibilities May Include

• Collaborate on cutting-edge research on electricity planning questions
• Use a mix of industry standard and research modeling tools to ensure grid reliability and technoeconomic viability of clean energy futures.
• Interface with external partners from industry, communities, government, and academia.
• Develop, use, and/or lead others in creating and applying new approaches and tools for distribution and/or bulk power systems.
• Translate raw outputs into informative results and actionable insights for a range of technical and non-technical audiences.
• Assess the quality and accuracy of results, debug issues, and contribute to validation, verification, and quality assurance.
• Lead/co-lead small to mid-sized teams of researchers 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.
• Provide technical expertise for technical reports, conference papers, and journal articles.
• Present work at conferences, workshops, and project meetings.

What We Can Offer

• A collaborative, supportive, 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 understand and plan the future electric power system
• Adaptable schedule to promote work-life balance.

Please include a cover letter in your application.

Basic Qualifications

Relevant PhD and 4 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Master’s Degree and 7 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelor’s Degree and 9 or more years of experience . Applies extensive engineering technical expertise, and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Considered a technical resource. Demonstrates leadership in several areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities. Demonstrated experience in management of projects. Excellent writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of techno-economic considerations for the integrated power system at transmission and distribution scales, with additional familiarity in at least one.
• Demonstrated leadership in a number of areas including all team, task and/or project lead responsibilities.
• Experience contributing to the development of new principles and concepts.
• Exceptional written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven experience working independently and as a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise with tools used in distribution or transmission systems modeling and operations, including one or more of the following areas: capacity expansion (e.g. Plexos-LT, ReEDS), production cost modeling (e.g. Plexos, Sienna), distribution analysis (CYME, Synergi, OpenDSS), or powerflow stability (e.g. PSS/E, PSLF, Powerworld)
• Experience translating results into actionable insights for a range of technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with a software programming language, such as Python, R and/or Julia.
• Experience with working with large data sets.
• Familiarity with key power system issues such as reliability, resilience, and resource adequacy.
• Familiarity with various energy regulatory environments/jurisdictions and their impacts on grid planning and operations.
• Familiarity with wholesale electricity market design, electric utility retail regulation, and retail rate design.

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 IV / Annual Salary Range: $95,500 – $171,900

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.

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