Researcher II/III: EMT Modeling, Simulation and Analysis for Large-Scale Power Systems

Posting TitleResearcher II/III: EMT Modeling, Simulation and Analysis for Large-Scale Power Systems

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeRegular

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 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 Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL 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 NREL, 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

Grid Automation and Control (GAC) Group of the Power Systems and Engineering Center (PSEC) at NREL is looking for an exceptional individual to support research in the advancing electromagnetic transient (EMT) modeling, and simulation of the power grid, while the power grid is transitioning to a modern grid with increasing growth of load and inverter-based resources(IBRs). The successful candidate will join a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative team of engineers, analysts, and software developers. GAC works to develop and apply state-of-the-art energy system modeling techniques, software, and simulations for breakthrough engineering and techno-economic analysis of the emerging future electric grid and broader interconnected energy system: transportation, buildings, gas, communication/controls, and beyond.

PSEC supports the science and technology goals of the U.S. Department of Energy, NREL, and industry partners toward a sustainable energy future. We work with the electricity industry and broader research community to conduct high-impact research and development that provides practical solutions to grid design and integration challenges that enable sustainable energy systems. PSEC uniquely combines the most advanced research techniques with real-world experience for achieving sustainable electricity grids.

The successful candidate will be working on developing the cutting-edge EMT modeling, simulation and analysis technologies of the future modern power grid. The successful candidate is expected to bring in solid power system modeling expertise including power system networks, loads, and dynamic electrical components, like synchronous generators and inverter-based resources and develop the next-generation EMT simulator to address the challenges and resolutions of operating a future grid; and have a passion to explore the future modern power grids in terms of stability, reliability and resilience.

Job duties and responsibilities include:

• Modeling of power systems in various EMT-domain simulation platforms such as PSCAD, RSCAD or ParaEMT.
• Conduct EMT studies of the power system to address stability challenges for utility partners. 
• Development of next-generation EMT Simulator and acceleration technologies.
• Maintain/enhance existing NREL simulation testbeds/platforms/tools for testing innovative research ideas.
• Prepare the results in form of reports and presentations.
• Write and publish results of analyses in peer-reviewed journals, transactions, conference proceedings, and/or technical reports.

This will be a hybrid position (mix of in-person work at South Table Mountain Campus in Golden, CO and work-from-home days, in any given work week) unless otherwise agreed upon by the Hiring Manager.

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Basic QualificationsResearcher II: Relevant Master's Degree. Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 2 or more years of experience.
Researcher III: 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.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Relevant Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science or related fields, or a relevant Master's Degree and required years of relevant experience.
• Strong background in power systems modeling and simulation.
• Strong expertise in EMT modeling and simulation (e.g., PSCAD, EMTP, RTDS, Hypersim, or similar platforms).
• Solid understanding of inverter-based resources, power electronics, and system protection.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, C/C++, Julia)

Researcher III (all above qualifications for Researcher II, plus):

• Demonstrated leadership in one or more areas of team, task or project responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience in management of projects and ability to execute with a high degree of independence.

Preferred Qualifications

•    Experience with large-scale power system simulation and model reduction techniques.
•    Hands-on experience with EMT/Phasor-domain-based power system transient simulator development.
•    Knowledge of parallel and distributed computing for EMT simulations.
•    Experience with software development in Python, C++, or other programming languages.
•    Familiarity with GPU acceleration of numerical solvers, parallel sparse matrix operations, or time-domain simulations is a plus.
•    Knowledge of modern GPU hardware and architectures is a plus.
•    Experience with commercial software development and GUI development is a plus.
•    Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
 

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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 III / Annual Salary Range: $81,500 - $146,700

Job Profile: Researcher II / Annual Salary Range: $74,900 - $123,600

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 SummaryBenefits 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 RequirementNREL 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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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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