Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher – Life Cycle Analysis and Energy Modeling

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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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.

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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

A postdoctoral researcher position is available in the Building Thermal Energy Science Group of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado and is the nation’s primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The candidate will join an enthusiastic team working on the cutting-edge research focused on improving energy efficiency and sustainability of the buildings.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will contribute to the development and analyses of novel building materials and should have a strong background and understanding of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) as well as heat and mass transfer and energy modeling. The researcher is expected to document the work/results in reports, presentations, conferences, and archival journal papers, and to interact with NREL partners in industry, academia, and national laboratories.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform life cycle analysis/assessment for building material processes and whole buildings
• Develop a building thermal/hygrothermal model using finite element code (e.g., COMSOL Multiphysics) or whole-building model (e.g., EnergyPlus)
• Assist in project management, including reports writing, papers publication, and presentation in program review and/or conferences.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The researcher has the opportunity to be involved in evolving and multifaceted disciplines in mechanical and materials engineering. The candidate should have taken courses in thermal science, mechanical engineering, and materials science, and demonstrated expertise in the area of temperature- and moisture responsive material development, heat/moisture transfer process, and thermal/hygrothermal modeling.

• Experience in modeling, programming, and experimental research.
• Experience in lie cycle assessment and LCA tools
• Knowledge of building energy modeling, thermal and hygrothermal analysis
• Coursework in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and energy system modeling, and the ability to formulate and solve engineering problems.
• Research capability and creativity to solve challenging problems, as well as the ability to work well in a team.

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Basic Qualifications
Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Candidate should have a strong aptitude to learn and explore the field needed for development, to be motivated and dedicated, and to deliver research results on time and on budget.

• Familiar with commercial codes and languages like EnergyPlus, COMSOL, Python, and/or MATLAB.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, documentation skills, oral and writing proficiency in English.

We would not expect a candidate holding all the skills listed above but illustrate the opportunity for learning and professional growth potential.

Preferred Qualifications

Ph.D. with strong academic and research record in building energy sciences, energy modeling, thermal and moisture transport with emphasis on both experimental and modeling research.

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Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $71,300 - $117,600

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

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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