Postdoctoral Appointee - Power Systems Security (Protection, Resilience, Stability), Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

We are seeking a dedicated and motivated Postdoctoral Appointee with a strong background in power systems with an emphasis on power system protection, electric grid resilience, and/or power system stability to join our team. The selected candidate will join a multi-disciplinary and hard-working team, focused on making technical contributions to ongoing and creative new research projects by modeling the electric grid transmission, distribution, and/or micro-grids for protection, resilience, and/or stability R&D problems.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Perform complex engineering/scientific analysis in the area of system protection, stability, and/or resilience
• Demonstrate deep power systems technical knowledge
• Design protection schemes for the electric power grid
• Demonstrate creativity and ingenuity in providing software solutions and analytical solutions
• Work with colleagues and external collaborators to develop innovative solutions to emerging challenges facing the power industry
• Publish research outcomes in peer-reviewed journals, conferences, etc.
• Present research findings to sponsors and externally to professional communities, e.g., IEEE, CIGRE, industry workshops, etc.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. This position is located in Albuquerque, NM, and the annual salary for this position is $98,500.

• PhD in Electrical Engineering or other relevant field
• Demonstrated experience in power system protection, power system stability, or grid resilience
• Proven record of technical accomplishment in the area of electric power systems, as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals and/or presentations at scientific conferences
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance

• Strong interpersonal communication skills, including verbal and written communication abilities
• Proven programming ability, including proficiency with MATLAB and/or Python, and analytical skills
• Experience with commercial power system software, such as PSSE, PSLF, PowerWorld, CAPE, ASPEN, CYMDIST, Synergi, DiGSILENT PowerFactory, WindMil, OpenDSS, PSCAD and/or ATP-EMTP
• Research around power system protection studies, bulk electric grid stability modeling, and/or bulk electric grid stability R&D
• Experience with real-time digital simulators, such as Opal-RT or RTDS
• Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal direction and ability to perform in a team environment

The Electric Power Systems Research Department conducts R&D and advanced analytics to enable the modernization of the nation's electric power grid. This work includes the development of improved planning and operations methodologies from the bulk system down to end users. Our capabilities encompass the development and application of advanced algorithmic and computational methods, grid operations, economics, and policy. Examples of specific core areas include power system dynamics, operational reliability, advanced renewables integration, electricity market development, smart grid technologies and related information analysis, optimal resource expansion, and computationally based decision support. This department is highly inter-disciplinary, working collaboratively with universities, utilities, government agencies, and both national and international research organizations.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.

Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.