Sr Scientific Engineering Associate

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL ) Building Technology and Urban Systems Division has an opening for a Sr Scientific Engineering Associate to join the team.

 

In this exciting role, you will be working in the energy management and information systems (EMIS) team within the Whole Building Systems (WBS) Department of the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division. You will be a key member of the team and will report to the team lead. The purpose of this position is to provide technical input to research related to the development and deployment of retrofits and diagnostic and control applications for operational efficiency, grid integration, and decarbonization in commercial buildings. Extensions of focus to transform the market and professional practices in residential and multi-family buildings may also be pursued. 

 

The position requires excellent ability to think innovatively and independently, to explore, accomplish, test and demonstrate advances in (and the connections between) various aspects of advanced control, performance verification, diagnostics, new technology, and practitioner and industry best practice. 

Current research in LBNL’s Building Technology and Urban Systems Division includes the development and application of building energy simulation, research on building controls, analytics, building load flexibility, and sector-wide decarbonization. This position will focus on commercial building diagnostics and control, and software tools but will collaborate with Division staff on related projects.

 

What You Will Do:

• In collaboration with commercial building domain scientists, engineers, and stakeholders, create methods and techniques to support research in building performance analytics, control optimization, and fault detection and diagnostic tools.   
• Design protocols and tools to aid research on the as-operated performance of new HVAC optimization and fault detection and diagnostics technologies.
• Help develop new approaches to advance fault detection and diagnostics, and integrated building control.
• Partner with industry stakeholders to transfer new methods into technology and service offerings, utility programs, and building operational practices.
• Develop new control and analytical methods for efficient building operations.
• Collaborate with research team to conceptualizing, designing, building, developing, and testing relevant analytical approaches, and tools. 
• Contribute to technical papers, presentations, and outreach materials for internal and external audiences.
• Supervise and provide guidance to exempt and non-exempt staff.
• Develop scopes of technical work and contribute to proposals for new funding for EMIS team priority R&D topics.

 

Additional Responsibilities as needed:

• Collaborate with other researchers outside of LBNL.
• Periodic travel for project site visits, stakeholder meetings, and workshops.
• Collaborate with PIs outside across the Division to develop collaborative scopes and responses to internal and external funding opportunities.

 

What is Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, architecture, physics or a related field or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in an applied building efficiency environment. 
• Demonstrated technical experience in all aspects of development, and demonstration in the applied and engineering sciences.
• Technical knowledge and experience in the following topics: commercial building HVAC design, control, and fault diagnostics; commercially available energy management and information systems; building sensors and controls; programming and data analysis including statistical regression and other methods; controls integration and optimization. 
• Demonstrated ability and desire to quickly learn new concepts and technologies. 
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, uncover problems, and identify and initiate appropriate actions for resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate in a team setting, and share insights relevant to other team projects.
• Effective ability to manage time across concurrent tasks within specified budgets.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.

 

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree/or equivalent experience in a related scientific field (e.g. engineering, computer science, architecture, physics).
• Experience developing software specifications and requirements documents.
• Experience programming building automation systems and control sequences.
• Experience in data science.
• Experience in energy simulation modeling.

 

Want to learn more about Berkeley Lab's Culture, Benefits and answers to FAQs? Please visit: https://recruiting.lbl.gov/

 

Notes:

• This is a full time, 1 year, term appointment with the possibility of extension or conversion to Career appointment based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs.
• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work will be primarily performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA.

 

Based on University of California Policy - SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program and U.S Federal Government requirements, Berkeley Lab requires that all members of our community obtain the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are eligible. As a condition of employment at Berkeley Lab, all Covered Individuals must Participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program by providing proof that vaccination requirements have been met or submitting a request for Exception or Deferral. Visit covid.lbl.gov for more information.

 

Berkeley Lab is committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) and strives to continue building community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We heartily welcome applications from women, minorities, veterans, and all who would contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, inclusion, and professionalism. In support of our diverse global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

 

Equal Opportunity and IDEA Information Links:

Know your rights, click here for the supplement: Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law and the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision under 41 CFR 60-1.4.