Postdoctoral Research Associate - Geothermal Energy Techno-Economic Analysis for Roadmap Extension

Requisition Id 14269 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Research & Analysis (MEERA) Group in the Manufacturing Science Division (MSD), Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to work in the areas of life cycle energy impacts analysis, technoeconomic analysis, and industrial energy efficiency analysis research under the Strategic Analysis and Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs.

The MEERA Group conducts techno-economic, value chain, trade, patent, and global analyses relevant to advanced energy and manufacturing technologies. MEERA is currently supporting a multi-laboratory DOE Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) project to develop an independent, objective, and publicly available geothermal well life cycle assessment analysis. This project will conduct research into alternative geothermal well designs that can improve the life cycle value of geothermal wells, reduce costs, improve productivity, and mitigate risks. The project builds upon previous MEERA work focusing on casing and cementing activities that identified the cost of casing, cement and cement additives, and annulus area as key variables in reducing total drilling cost. This project expands the analysis to other aspects of geothermal well development including well completion, production, and abandonment phases.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Conduct techno-economic, value chain, and global manufacturing competitiveness analysis in the area of geothermal well development.
• Analyze supply chain, material flows, and development costs throughout the lifecycle of a geothermal well to identify opportunities to reduce materials, time, and environmental impact of geothermal wells.
• Help support other MEERA Group industrial technical deployment (Better Plants) and Energy System Software Tools development projects.
• Help support the development of new resources, trainings, and tools to support companies participating in the DOE’s Better Plants program.
• 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 PhD in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, geothermal engineering or a related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Quantitative and analytical research background which can be applied to conduct research analysis on geothermal well development and other advanced energy technologies that could achieve transformative gains in energy efficiency.
• Ability to develop optimization and life cycle models analyzing advanced energy technologies.
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience in life cycle energy and cost assessments for technology assessments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An educational background in sustainable manufacturing technologies with an emphasis on life cycle research.

• Experience in manufacturing process or energy systems modeling.
• Proficiency in the use of industry standard modeling and simulation tools, such as spreadsheet-based process cost modeling, input/output modeling, or commercially available life cycle analysis tools such as SimaPro and openLCA.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and participate creatively in collaborative teams.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Please contact Sachin Nimbalkar at nimbalkarsu@ornl.gov or (865) 576-3590 for further details.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our 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.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@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.