Group Leader, Grid Expansion and Interdependencies

Argonne National Laboratory is seeking to hire a group leader for the Grid Expansion and Interdependencies group in the Electric Power Systems department of Energy Systems and Infrastructure Assessments (ESIA) division. ESIA is a part of the Advanced Energy Technologies directorate of Argonne National Laboratory.

In this position the candidate develops and applies methodologies and tools for techno-economic analyses of energy technologies and systems, including conventional and renewable electricity generating technologies, energy storage, demand response, distributed energy resources, and others. Tools include computer modeling and simulations, databases, analysis algorithms, computational methodologies, economic and financial models. Analyses include power system operation and expansion, engineering economics and finance, life cycle analysis, optimization and equilibrium analysis, impact analysis, market penetration, and interdependencies. Personnel have education and/or experience in engineering or economics disciplines. This description documents the general nature of work but is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all activities, duties and responsibilities required of job incumbent. Consequently, job incumbent may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will provide technical direction, leadership, coordination, and support for research of energy and environmental systems, including the electric power system expansion planning and analyses of interdependencies with other energy sectors, and for the development of related research programs. Management responsibilities include managing technical staff, project planning and management, and program development. Program development responsibilities include identifying potential research areas and opportunities, developing laboratory’s expertise and capabilities, and pursuing funding from sponsors. The candidate must have expertise in the field of electric power systems modeling, expansion planning, and interdependency analysis of energy infrastructures, as well as in developing and applying computational analysis tools to study complex energy and environmental systems issues of national, local, and international significance. Work will involve leading or participating as a member of multidisciplinary teams to develop analytical methods and tools that can be applied to the issues of interest to power systems and overall energy systems, apply these methods and tools to create analysis results designed to provide useful information to decision-makers, and transfer these methods and tools to other researchers. Serve as principal investigator or team member to support a portfolio of research, development, and demonstration projects focusing on the analysis of energy and power systems, and related cross-sectoral interdependencies.

Position Requirements

• Knowledge of electric power systems, electricity markets, and issues related to the integration of variable renewables, energy storage, distributed energy resources, and demand-side technologies.

• Knowledge of modeling and simulation of electric power systems and overall energy systems, including cross-sectoral interdependencies.

• Knowledge of advanced modeling and simulation techniques, including optimization, equilibrium simulation, and agent-based modeling.

• Knowledge, experience, and skill in assessment of programmatic efforts, their relationships to strategic goals, and evaluation of current policy options.

• Knowledge, experience, and skill in the management of large engineering and scientific projects.

• Experience and skill in working effectively on several projects simultaneously and understanding the expectations of sponsors, contractors, and other outside professionals.

• Knowledge, experience, and skill in understanding sponsors’ goals, research needs, and funding mechanisms, and how they affect sponsorship of the team’s projects and deliverables.

• Experience leading interdisciplinary research projects and the ability to lead a team involving multi-disciplinary scientists and engineers.

• Ability to use independent judgment and to abstract from specific problems to general solutions.

• Demonstrated collaborative skills, including the ability to work well with other scientists and engineers within Argonne, other research institutions and industrial collaborators.

• Effective oral and written communication skills and ability to appropriately communicate organization information through group meetings, one-on-one engagements, and regular interpersonal communication.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities in recruiting and mentoring junior-level staff.

• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork