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Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher: Bulk Grid Monitoring and Dynamic Security Assessment

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NLR

NLR is 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 Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR 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 NLR, 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

The Grid Automation and Control (GAC) Group of the Power Systems and Engineering Center (PSEC) at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is looking for an exceptional Ph.D. graduate to support research in the operation, 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.

The successful candidate will be working on measurement-based modeling and stability analysis for modern power grids. The successful candidate will develop advanced methods to extract system dynamics from various resolution measurements such as phasor measurement unit (PMU) data, point-on-wave (POW) data that enabling improved situational awareness, model validation, and dynamic stability assessment of power systems with high penetration of inverter-based resources. This research will support the development of data-driven modeling techniques, real-time stability monitoring tools, and digital twin platforms for future power systems.

Job duties and responsibilities include:

• Develop measurement-based modeling techniques for power systems, including the use of PMU and other high-resolution measurements to identify dynamic parameters for black-box models.
• Conduct measurement-based dynamic stability assessments, such as fault detection, real-time inertia estimation, oscillation detection and analysis, and system strength evaluation, etc.
• Develop software tools and algorithms for measurement-based stability monitoring and analysis tool, as well as dynamic model calibration tools that can be deployed in future control room environments.
• Contribute to the development of measurement-informed digital twins for power system analysis and operational decision support.
• Maintain and enhance existing NLR platforms and tools used for testing innovative research ideas.
• Prepare and present results in the form of technical reports and presentations.
• Write and publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals, transactions, conference proceedings, and technical reports.

Successful candidates will join the GAC group in the Power System Engineering Center (PSEC) at NLR, 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, 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.

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Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Relevant Ph.D. or Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science or related fields.
• Experience working with PMU data or other grid measurement data.
• Advanced modeling expertise in various power systems modeling.
• Experience with computer programming or software development, and Python is preferred.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong background in power system modeling, simulation and dynamic analysis.

• Knowledge of system identification, signal processing, or dynamic parameter estimation techniques.

• Experience working with wide-area measurement systems (WAMS), PMU data, or other high-resolution grid measurement data.

• Experience in one or more of the following areas: oscillation detection and analysis, inertia estimation, dynamic model validation, or real-time monitoring.

• Experience handling large-scale operational datasets such as SCADA, WAMS, or PMU measurements is desirable.

• Familiarity with machine learning, data analytics, or data-driven modeling approaches applied to power systems is a plus.

• Software development experience is a plus, including programming in Python, GAMS, C++, or other languages.

• Excellent written 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: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400

NLR 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-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; and paid holidays. NLR 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.

• Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR 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

NLR 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 NLR, 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 NLR 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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