Marine Energy Electrical Engineer

Posting Title

Marine Energy Electrical Engineer

.

Location

CO – Boulder

.

Position Type

Regular

.

Hours Per Week

40

.

Working at NREL

NREL’s 305-acre Flatirons Campus is the nation’s premier wind energy, water power, and grid integration research facility. Nestled south of Boulder, Colorado, and north of NREL’s main South Table Mountain campus, Flatirons sits adjacent to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and countless acres of open space and parks with stunning views of the Flatirons rock formations.

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.

We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.

Job Description

NREL’s Water Power team has an immediate opening for a full time (40 hours per week) electrical engineer with a background in electromagnetic systems design, power electronics, controls, and grid and microgrid integration in the areas of marine energy and wind energy.

The Water Power Technology Validation group performs research to advance wave energy, tidal energy, ocean current energy, riverine energy, and ocean thermal gradient energy technologies (i.e., marine energy technologies) – see https://www.nrel.gov/water/marine-energy.html for more information. In this pursuit we work closely with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), industry partners, and academic institutions. The group’s work involves the development of numerical design, control, and optimization software tools, developing new and innovative methods of capturing marine energy, performing laboratory testing, and supporting open-ocean testing.

The researcher in this position will lead technical analysis and design of generators and power electronics for marine energy applications, (e.g. wave, tidal, ocean current) as well as prototype development and laboratory testing and validation. This will include grid and non-grid applications (e.g. AUV recharge, aquaculture, microgrid, desalination, etc.). This includes small scale (sub-kilowatt) and large megawatt scale systems. This will be used to inform work on economic viability and device performance in a wide range of ocean conditions.

The ideal candidate must have experience modeling, designing and/or assessing power systems, and have proficient analysis skills. The successful candidate will develop and execute models, analyze results, and publish results in written reports, academic journals, and spoken presentations. Prior experience with technologies such as energy storage, marine energy, other renewable technologies, as well as systems integration issues is an advantage.

.

Basic Qualifications

Relevant PhD . Or, relevant Masters Degree and 3 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelors Degree and 5 or more years of experience.

Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Degree in electrical engineering; specialty in power systems or electrical machine design.

Experience conducting detailed analyses for electric power systems and microgrids.

Proficient at collecting electrical measurements, creating electrical diagrams, creating electrical models, and performing engineering studies using standard software packages for power systems analysis.

Knowledge of programming languages, ideally Python, Matlab, and or C.

Established publication record in peer-reviewed journals.

Laboratory testing and validation experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing or modeling electric motors or generators

Experience with techno-economic modeling and assessment of renewable energy systems;

Experience with marine energy systems or other marine engineering applications.

Knowledge of electrical codes and standards .

.

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

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 Summary

Benefits 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 Requirement

NREL 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.

.

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.

EEO is the Law (http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm) | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination (https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/pdf/pay-transpEnglishunformattedESQA508c.pdf) | Reasonable Accommodations (http://www.nrel.gov/careers/employment-policies.html)

E -Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here (http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/08/13/FinalOSCPosterEN08012013.pdf) for English or here (http://www.justice.gov/crt/file/813271/download) for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy’s effort to secure an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NREL is the primary laboratory for research, development, and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States.

NREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. 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. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NREL by the Department of Energy (DOE).

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.

Please review the information on our Hiring Process (https://www.nrel.gov/careers/hiring-process.html) website before you create an account and apply for a job. We also hope you will learn more about NREL (https://www.nrel.gov/about/) , visit our Careers site (https://www.nrel.gov/careers/) , and continue to search for job opportunities (https://nrel.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/NREL) at the lab.