Posting Title

Graduate (Summer Intern) – Large-scale Power System Modeling, Simulation and Analysis

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Intern (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Grid Automation and Control group (GAC) of the Power Systems and Engineering Center (PSEC) at NLR is looking for an exceptional graduate student to support research in the modeling and simulation of modern power grids that are experiencing increased growth of load and inverter-based resources(IBRs).

The successful candidate will be working on cutting-edge projects in power system modeling, simulation, and stability analysis. The successful candidate is expected to bring in solid large-scale bulk power system modeling and simulation expertise to address the stability and reliability challenges of the future grid. The GAC group works to develop and apply state-of-the-art energy system modeling techniques, software, and simulations for breakthrough engineering and techno-economic analysis of the emerging future electric grid.

Job duties and responsibilities include:

Conduct transient analysis (small-signal, transient, and voltage stability) for high IBR-dominated systems
Support large-scale system studies (e.g., national-scale scenarios) using commercial tools (e.g., PSSE, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PSCAD) or open-source tools (e.g., ParaEMT, ANDES and others)
Develop new types of electrical components (such as advanced pumped storage hydro, data center, etc.) for large-scale power grids study
Support interconnection studies, grid impact assessments, and compliance studies.
Prepare the results in form of reports and presentations
Write and publish results of analyses in peer-reviewed journals, transactions, conference proceedings, and/or technical reports

Basic Qualifications

Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree program, or graduated in the past 12 months from an accredited institution. Candidates who have earned a degree may work for a period not to exceed 12 months. Must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Please Note:
•You will need to upload official or unofficial school transcripts as part of the application process.
•If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Strong understanding of small-signal, transient, and voltage stability
Hands-on experience developing user-defined dynamic models of IBRs in PSS®E or PSLF
Familiarity with modeling of energy storage systems, including pumped-storage hydro and batteries
Experience in modeling and simulation of inverter-based resources (IBRs) and stability analysis of high-IBR-dominated power systems
Experience with data center modeling is a plus
Hands-on experience with new IBR models (e.g., WECC REGFMA1,REGFMB1, vendor-provided models) is a plus
Experience with software development in Python, C++, or other programming languages
Hands-on experience developing automated tools for accelerating contingency analysis is a plus
Solid background in power systems dynamics and modeling including load flow, short-circuit, and contingency analysis
Proficiency with power system simulation tools in Phasor-domain (e.g.,PSSE, PSLF, Powerworld, etc., PSCAD or EMTP experience a plus)
Strong understanding of inverter-based resource(IBR) integration challenges, and power system stability concepts
Strong analytical skills with the ability to process, interpret, and present technical results clearly
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $51,200 - $81,900

NLR 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; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR 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. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR 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.

Equal Opportunity 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.

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.