Postdoctoral Fellow

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) Energy Storage & Distributed Resources Division has an opening for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the team.

In this exciting role, you will develop innovative optimization models in the context of distribution and transmission grid investment and planning, unit commitment and economic dispatch problems. These models will be developed within multiple projects funded by the US Department of Energy.and converted into tools that can be used by the power system industry, academia or policy/regulatory entities.

Included in the Grid Integration Group, the Grid Planning and Economics team develops models and software solutions to support decisions around power systems planning, economics as well as electricity markets and policy.

Examples of successful models developed by the Grid Planning and Economics team include:

• The Security-constrained AC OPF algorithm, which received a top performer prize in Challenge 2 of the ARPA-e Grid Optimization Competition.
• The resilient distribution expansion model, developed in partnership with the industry, which was recently made available as a prototype tool.
• Different models for microgrid planning, covering different design aspects, such as distribution grid or multi-energy representations, included LBNL’s DER-CAM tool.

What You Will Do:

• Develop innovative research work in distribution and transmission grid investment and planning, unit commitment or economic dispatch problems for various power system economics and policy applications.
• Model different sources of uncertainty in power systems planning and economics.
• Implement models, develop algorithms, and write code in Python/Julia
• Work with the team to integrate these models into new LBNL repositories and software solutions.
• Write journal and conference papers.
• Prepare reports and presentations.
• Attend to group and project meetings.

What is Required:

• A PhD in Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Operations Research.
• Solid background on Power Systems steady-state modeling (balanced and unbalanced power flow, OPF).
• A good understanding of the power systems economic and policy contexts, including planning and policy decision-making processes.
• Experience in optimization methods applied to power system economics.
• Good coding skills (python or Julia are a plus).
• A strong record of publications in the power systems field.

Desired Qualifications:

• 1 paper publication in IEEE Transactions
• Experience in decision methods.
• Familiarity with object-oriented programming

For consideration, please apply by May 2, 2025 with the following application materials:

• Cover Letter - Describe your interest in this position and the relevance of your background.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume.

Notes:

• This is a full-time, 2 years, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.
• The monthly salary range for this position is $7,790 / mo - $8,701.00 / mo  and is expected to start at $7,790 / mo or above.  Postdoctoral positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral and/or related research experience.
• This position is 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.
• This position is eligible for a flexible work mode, with onsite or hybrid work being the preferred modes, though full-time telework or remote work modes may be considered. Hybrid work is a combination of teleworking and performing work on-site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab. Work schedules are dependent on business needs.

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, inclusion, and professionalism. In support of our rich 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.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer