Requisition Id 11255 

Overview: 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. With a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people, ORNL’s decadal vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation. 

The Grid Systems Architecture Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is actively seeking applicants for a postdoctoral research associate position to conduct research on algorithms for intelligent power electronics interfaces for the grid. The successful candidates should be capable of developing algorithm for intelligent controls and system/health monitoring of power electronic grid interfaces.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct R&D projects and help the expansion of R&D to take advantage of our multidisciplinary capabilities, multimodal strengths, and unique tools and capabilities.
• Be well versed in power converter topologies, associated controls, and system architectures with hierarchical controls.
• Should have a good knowledge base on the requirements and trends in futuristic power electronics grid interfaces and their components development.
• Experience with embedded platforms for controller development and communication interface development and testing. A good understanding of the communication requirements for grid applications is necessary.
• Be familiar with the standards and compliance corresponding to power grid such as IEEE 519, 1547, 2030.
• Network and develop collaborative R&D with other groups and divisions internally and with DOE, the industry, and the utilities.
• Prepare new proposals to the internal and external funding agencies.
• Have good oral and written skills so that they can prepare and present research results to sponsors, peer reviewers, industry partners and others and at technical meetings such as IEEE sponsored conferences.
• Occasional travel is expected.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in electrical engineering with a focus on power electronics applications for the grid, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Demonstrated publication record of scientific results in either peer-reviewed journals, or presentations at national meetings, are expected.
• Experience with algorithm development, coding, and validation in real-time is mandatory. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience related to development and validation of control/health-based algorithms for power electronic interfaces.
• Experience with software platforms including MATLAB.
• Experience in hardware in loop platforms like OPAL-RT.
• Experience in python coding and python-based interfaces.
• Strong interpersonal skills to support team building and leadership.
• A publication history in prestigious international conferences and journals.
• A strong commitment to scientific integrity.
• A good understanding of power semiconductor devices, power converter topologies and control of power electronics interfaces for the grid.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory. 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs.

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Benefits at ORNL:  

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.

Nearest Major Market: Knoxville