September 12, 2024

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Fairbanks

FULL TIME

Postdoctoral Researcher - Geothermal - Alaska Campus

Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher - Geothermal - Alaska Campus

Location

AK - Fairbanks

Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

Working at NREL

NREL’s Alaska Campus in Fairbanks, Alaska is one of the farthest-north LEED Platinum buildings in the world. Using a mix of solar, geothermal, biomass, and thermal storage, it is a living laboratory for clean energy technologies in the subarctic. NREL's Alaska Campus is in the heart of Interior Alaska, surrounded by mountains, trails, and rivers, as well as vibrant music, culture, and community. With 22 hours of sunlight in the summer and cold, snowy winters, Fairbanks is an outdoor-lovers' paradise.

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 is seeking to hire a Geothermal Researcher focusing on modeling and experimental heat and mass transfer applied to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and building energy systems with advanced knowledge of ground source (geothermal) heat pump systems, and campus or district thermal energy networks and systems for its Applied Research for Communities in Extreme Environments team within the Mechanical, and Thermal Energy Sciences (MTES) directorate.

The successful candidate will join team members on cutting-edge laboratory and analytical projects to research, develop, and evaluate heat and mass transfer components and systems. This includes next-generation standalone and district geothermal heating and cooling systems, conventional and innovative HVAC solutions, thermal storage mechanisms, and various building energy technologies. A strong foundation in heat and mass transfer principles, encompassing theory, modeling, and experimental proficiency especially in the context of geothermal heat pumps, and building and/or district energy technologies is a fundamental requirement for this role.

Under the general direction of senior staff, the successful candidate will:

Support efforts related to analysis & design, technical assistance, and R&D of geothermal heat pump systems and district thermal energy network systems.
Improve, develop, and use first-principles numerical modeling tools of heat and mass exchangers and other thermal components and systems for building envelopes and HVAC systems such as heat pumps
Develop, design, and analyze new HVAC processes and components
Perform laboratory experiments on materials and fluid/thermal components at NREL’s laboratories
Develop and deploy instrumentation and data collection plans
Work with and develop energy modeling capabilities in Modelica, Open Studio/Energy Plus
Publish papers in heat and mass transfer, energy, or other similar journals

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and

see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent Ph D graduate within the last three years.

Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Mechanical or Energy or Building engineering, or relevant dissertation research in other engineering or science field
Strong academic and research record in relevant heat transfer, thermodynamics, or mass transfer field with emphasis on both modeling and experimental research
Modeling and simulation of geothermal heat pumps and underground thermal energy storage systems
Complex system simulation experience with Modelica.
Experience with software development in a scientific environment using Python, Ruby, Julia, R, or C++.
Experience programming in Python, Matlab or similar tools
Strong interpersonal communication skills (oral and written) and demonstrated ability to work independently
Strong interpersonal and teaming skills.
Strong technical writing skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated experience in some or all of the following:

District energy modeling

Building energy modeling and software (Open Studio, Energy Plus, TRNSYS, IES etc.)
Cold climate heat pumps and other HVAC technologies
Designing and constructing campus- and community-scale developments, especially those pursuing energy-efficiency or zero-energy goals
Laboratory experiments and data acquisition systems

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: $65,800 - $108,700

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-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. 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.

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.

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