Energy Technology and Systems Analysis Postdoctoral Researcher

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is important for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$106,200 - $132,480 Annually 

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting; pay will not be below any applicable local minimum wage.  An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Job Description

We have multiple openings for highly qualified and motivated Energy Technology and Systems Analysis Postdoctoral Researchers to join us to solve critical climate change problems. You will work with a diverse group of scientists and engineers supporting LLNL’s Carbon Initiative within the Global Security (GS) Directorate’s Energy and Homeland Security Program. You will analyze and assess the impact of innovative and complex energy technologies and systems associated with achieving greater efficiency, optimization and sustainability. These positions are in the Computational Engineering Division (CED), within the Engineering Directorate.

In this role you will

• Research, design, and optimize carbon management technologies and energy systems from concept through scale-up and demonstration
• Conduct techno-economic assessments of various carbon management technologies or energy systems to enhance performance and reduce costs.
• Perform uncertainty analyses to forecast the impact of technical and economic uncertainties on the success of commercial carbon dioxide removal or renewable energy projects.
• Analyze and develop solutions to address system integration challenges between new CDR technologies and both existing and future energy systems.
• Develop frameworks and systems to enhance Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) capabilities for CDR technologies.
• Conduct life cycle assessments to evaluate the environmental impact of innovative energy technologies and optimize system parameters to reduce the carbon footprint compared to current state-of-the-art solutions.
• Apply engineering expertise to assess the trade-offs between performance and costs of early-stage energy technologies.
• Design computational tools to optimize biomass resource supply chains and product distribution at regional and national levels.
• Contribute to the conception, design, and execution of original research to solve defined problems.
• Collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team to achieve research goals.
• Pursue independent research that complements team objectives and engage with a broad network of scientists both internally and externally.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present results at conferences, seminars, and meetings.
• Travel as needed to coordinate with research collaborators and visit field sites.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• PhD in engineering (e.g., chemical, mechanical, civil or environmental), relevant scientific discipline (e.g., chemistry, physics, material science), or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Knowledge and experience in one or more key areas: energy systems analysis, technoeconomic analysis, lifecycle assessment, uncertainty analysis, geospatial analysis, analytic computational modeling and simulation, and/or energy policy analysis.
• Ability to perform independent research. Demonstrated ability to undertake original research and communicate findings in peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and project managers to develop and apply these capabilities to inform engineering decisions.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively in a team environment and present and explain technical information.
• Ability to travel.

Qualifications We Desire

• Hands on engineering experience with pilot, demonstration or commercialization scale engineering projects.
• Experience in technology commercializat