Associate R&D Staff - Grid Modeling/Controls

Requisition Id 14300 

ORNL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, with an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 7,000 people! ORNL’s decadal vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation. Come join us and help solve the world's most challenging energy problems!

Overview: 

The Grid Modeling and Controls (GMC) Group in the Electrification and Energy Infrastructure Division (EEID) within the Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Associate R&D Staff to perform R&D in the areas of high-penetration or all power electronics grid modeling, stability analysis, and control design. Selection will be based on qualifications, relevant experience, skills, and education. You should be highly self-motivated and independent in conducting research under general guidance, and is expected to prepare manuscripts for scientific publication and present the work to sponsors and at conferences.

The GMC Group supports the energy security and prosperity mission of the Energy Department (DOE) through transformative science and technology solutions, including research supporting the Office of Electricity (OE), Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER) and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) on the integration of new technologies, identifying and validating new ways of using existing and emerging grid assets to ensure grid reliability, grid resilience, environmental stewardship, and affordability of energy supplies. The GMC group focuses on grid transient modeling, analysis, and control R&D specifically related to power electronics-based devices, develops and designs new grid devices deploying new theory and methodologies, and conducts system operation and control R&D of all power electronics grids.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Develop new mathematical models, solvers, and mathodology for large-scale electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation.
• Develop inverter control algorithms and new methodologies to address future grid control challenges.
• Develop grid impedance modeling, characterization, and analytical tools for stability analysis studies of future power grids with high-penetration power electronics.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Expertise in power electronics, power systems, and control theory, and understanding of power systems operation and control framework.
• Ecpertise in advanced inverter controls (e.g. grid-forming, grid-following) and grid supporting (during abnormal or fault conditions).
• Experience in major power systems analysis software tools, such as PSS/E, PSCAD, OpenDSS, etc.
• Experience in Matlab, C/C++ and Python programming.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience using machine learning for grid applications.
• Strong mathematic skills and knowledge of graph or complex network theory.
• Experience in open-source software development.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory. 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing needs.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at jobs.ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.