Electricity Markets Modeler and Software Developer II/III

Posting TitleElectricity Markets Modeler and Software Developer II/III

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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 research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

Are you passionate about both grid analysis and software development? Want to help build, integrate, and apply the next generation of power systems planning tools to help transform energy systems and create supportive market structures? 

The Price Signals for Grid Services (PSGS) group in NREL’s Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) is looking for one or more exceptional candidate(s) to join our team. PSGS develops capabilities (i.e. tools, data, and expertise) and applies them to analyze future integrated energy systems, inclusive of retail and bulk power system market and regulatory structures.  The ideal candidate will bring a combination of deep experience with engineering simulation and technoeconomic design for retail and bulk power system markets, along with in-depth, collaborative programming experience in one or more software languages. Other exceptional candidates with multi-disciplinary backgrounds and a strong understanding of the power system, excitement for this type of work, strong computer skills, and a proven track record of success in new areas are also encouraged to apply. Experience with linking multiple software tools together is a plus. We are especially interested in candidates who know the power grid and also enjoy writing user/researcher-oriented documentation, developing automated test suites/datasets that realistically push tool limits, and fostering open-source and other collaborative software communities. 

If hired for this position, you will help develop state-of-the art energy system modeling techniques, software, and simulations for breakthrough analysis of future (and current) energy systems with high shares of wind, solar and other renewable energy that support a reliable, affordable, and equitable energy transition. You will also help apply the resulting tools to conduct analysis across a range of fidelities from in-depth engineering models to multi-perspective expansion models to retail rate models, along with simplified representations for faster analysis. You will work closely with other NREL research engineers to further establish capabilities that bring together traditionally separate analyses, such as: modeling advanced market operations and products to understand the impact on market clearing, investment decisions, and resource adequacy; multi-perspective equilibrium modeling inclusive of electricity customers and suppliers; modeling demand-side resources such as demand flexibility and energy efficiency as bulk power system resources; and quantifying the impacts of various buildout paths on retail rates across different customer classes. The interested candidate is also likely to find opportunities to collaborate with other researchers and across NREL to dive deeper into power sector modeling and/or pursue cross-sectoral research (i.e., to explore connections with other energy carriers and networks, or to more deeply examine demand-side sectors). 

Our team is comprised of researchers, engineers, software developers, modelers, physicists, product managers, thought leaders, system thinkers, and life-long learners. We strive to push the boundaries of innovation, integrated analysis, and computational tool development. You would join us in developing innovative modeling approaches, collaboratively applying them with a wide-range of research and industry partners to conduct high-impact analysis, and working to articulate current trends and chart future needs in integrated grid systems. A sample of on-going research areas include: demand flexibility, DER adoption, customer bill calculations, utility-scale investment decisions, price formation, resource adequacy, resilience, capacity expansion, and policy analysis.  We partner with DOE, other federal agencies, states, utilities, ISO/RTOs, communities, and technology developers on grid planning and analysis. Our work informs policymakers and utilities by developing and analyzing future grid scenarios that answer big questions about how the electric power system is transforming. 

This work can be completed remotely, with a preference for an onsite presence.  

Please include a cover letter with your application. 

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Basic QualificationsResearcher II Requirements: Relevant Master's Degree . Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 2 or more years of experience . General knowledge and application of engineering technical standards, principles, theories, concepts and techniques. Training in team, task or project leadership responsibilities. Intermediate abilities and knowledge of practices and techniques. Beginning experience in project management. Good writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

Researcher III Requirements: 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 . 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.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Advanced to expert proficiency with collaborative software development and deployment, specifically experience with Python, Julia, or similar 
• Knowledge of multiple programming languages 
• Experience using GitHub with multi-developer teams 
• Experience with software development best practices, e.g., unit testing, pull request reviews, package development, automated formatting tools, etc. 
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to work independently and in team settings. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in power systems modeling and/or analysis 

• Experience conducting literature reviews

• Experience collecting and analyzing data 

• Coursework in optimization 

• Coursework in economic modeling 

• High performance computing 

• Julia / JuMP experience 

• Familiarity with NREL’s grid and DER data and tools 

Exposure to one or more of the following research areas: 

• Electric utility retail regulation and rate design 

• Wholesale electricity market regulation and design 

• Demand response, demand flexibility, or virtual power plants 

• DER adoption decisions and DER rates/programs 

• Utility-scale investment decisions and capacity expansion modeling 

• Security constrained unit commitment and economic dispatch 

• Resource adequacy modeling 

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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: $79,600 - $143,300

Job Profile: Researcher II / Annual Salary Range: $73,200 - $120,800

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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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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.

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