Posting Title
Postdoctoral Researcher - Geothermal Reservoir Engineering.
Location
CO - Golden.
Position Type
Postdoc (Fixed Term).
Hours Per Week
40.
COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Employment at NREL is contingent upon your compliance with all NREL and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) safety protocols and mitigation efforts directed at the COVID-19 pandemic.
Working at NREL
The 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 eight 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
The candidate will work with engineers and scientists in the Thermal Energy Science & Technologies Group within NREL’s Energy Conversion & Storage Systems Center. This person will join a growing geothermal research team that includes expertise in geochemistry, geology, drilling engineering, reservoir modeling, and geothermal exploration and development.
The 2019 GeoVision study, led by the NREL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office identified a large untapped opportunity for direct use of geothermal heat in applications such as geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) and district heating/cooling. As noted in NREL’s Geothermal Market Report (NREL/TP-5700-78291, July 2021) such systems are proliferating in Europe and elsewhere around the world but experiencing little deployment in the United States. The successful candidate will work with a team to explore and document opportunities for greater use of GHPs in the United States, especially where integrated with commercial or district heating and cooling systems. This work will include collaboration with NREL’s Building Technologies Center and others to understand the energy demand profile and may include use of building and district energy tools developed at NREL, e.g., URBANopt, REopt, Energy Plus, etc. Special focus will be given to understanding and enhancing the performance of the subsurface heat exchange process as a function of system design and local subsurface properties. The successful candidate must demonstrate experience with district heating/cooling, geothermal heat pumps, heat transfer, and/or energy integration modeling.
Responsibilities include thorough and clear documentation of work in detailed technical records; writing, submission, presentation, and publication of peer-reviewed science; maintaining a clean and safe work space and conducting work with integrity and the highest professional standards.
.
Basic Qualifications
Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.
.
Additional Required Qualifications
The candidate must demonstrate a research capability to solve challenging problems, and have excellent interpersonal, communication, writing and documentation skills. This position requires creativity, innovation, and adaptability.
Preferred Qualifications
Hands on experience with design, installation, or operations of ground-source heat pumps and/or district heating and cooling systems.
.
Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $69,400 - $114,500
NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, 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
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, 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 | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations
E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify |For information about right to work, click here for English or here 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.