Research Engineer III- Energy Optimization Model Development
Golden, CO

Job Description

Posting Title

Research Engineer III- Energy Optimization Model Development

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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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Job Description

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy's effort to secure an energy future that is both environmentally and economically sustainable. With locations in Golden, Boulder and Washington D.C., NREL is the primary laboratory for research, development and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States. The NREL mission is to develop renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and practices, advance related science and engineering, and transfer knowledge and innovation to address the nation's energy and environmental goals.

NREL is seeking a research engineer to support model development and technical analysis projects in the Integrated Applications Center (IAC) within the Energy Systems Integration (ESI) directorate. IAC helps federal agencies, states, local governments, communities, and the private sector to develop energy strategies, analyze opportunities, and implement an integrated portfolio of distributed energy resources, energy efficiency (EE), and grid integration technologies to meet energy goals.

The incumbent will work under the guidance of senior staff within the Modeling & Analysis Group to develop, maintain, and perform analysis with NREL's REopt modeling platform for energy systems integration and optimization. The incumbent will work as part of a software development team to develop, test, and document code. The incumbent will conduct engineering analysis using REopt, other EE/RE analysis tools (i.e. SAM, HOMER), and linear and non-linear programming to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, and conventional generation in buildings, campuses, or microgrids. The incumbent will also assist in on-site energy efficiency and renewable energy assessments and interact with clients during project execution. The incumbent will document and present engineering results, including publishing results in technical reports, conference papers, or journal articles.

The successful candidate will have experience in mathematical optimization modeling, especially as it applies to energy technologies and systems, with a background in operations research and strong programming skills.

Qualifications include:

* Experience with programming in Python and/or Julia
* Experience using and developing in mathematical optimization software (e.g. Xpress's Mosel, Julia's JuMP, Python's Pyomo, GAMS)
* Some knowledge of energy efficiency or renewable energy technologies
* Excellent communication and teamwork skills; enjoys group problem solving and technical debates
* Ability to collaborate with team members in a flexible work environment
* Ability to work independently
* High standards of work quality
* Smart, intellectually curious, analytical, and tenacious in finding solutions. Adaptable to a variety of roles and projects.
* 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.

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Basic QualificationsRelevant 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 .

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Additional Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

* Experience in linear, mixed integer, and stochastic optimization
* Experience in real-time or online optimization
* Experience modeling battery degradation in linear programs
* Experience modeling renewable energy, storage, combined heat and power systems, and flexible loads for grid-connected and microgrid systems
* Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques and tools
* Experience with deploying and maintaining open source software
* Experience building techno-economic models
* Experience using EE/RE software tools such as SAM, HOMER, and Open Studio
* Basic knowledge of economics/ finance/cash flow analysis
* Experience working with and managing large amounts of data
* Experience using scripting languages for automating computer simulations
* Ability to transition easily between detailed computer modeling and big-picture client interactions
* Experience writing technical reports and/or academic papers

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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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EEO Policy

NREL is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. NREL promotes a work environment that does not discriminate against workers or job applicants and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, ancestry, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or veteran status, including special disabled veterans.

NREL validates right to work using E-Verify. NREL will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. For additional information, click here.