Postdoctoral Research Associate - Integrated Building Deployment and Analysis Group

Requisition Id 12070 

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. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our 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.

 

Join Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the preeminent science and energy laboratory under the US Department of Energy, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. ORNL is committed to conducting cutting-edge research that tackles crucial challenges in energy and security. The Integrated Building Performance and Analysis (IBDA) group, at the forefront of developing pioneering approaches for residential and commercial whole-building energy performance and systems integration, is seeking a talented individual to contribute to their mission.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

As a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the IBDA group, you will:

• Conduct, coordinate, and report on complex research assignments related to buildings, focusing on calibrated whole building energy modeling, technologies field demonstration, and M&V (Measurement and Verification) with field data analysis.
• Collaborate with researchers from universities, national laboratories, and private industry, engaging directly with program sponsors and leading proposal development teams.
• 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 Architectural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field completed within the last 5 years
• Possess a strong understanding of building thermal physics, HVAC systems, and building controls.
• Demonstrate expertise in whole building energy forward modeling (e.g., EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, and Modelica), detailed model calibration with real building data.  
• Have experience in whole building M&V and data analysis.
• Be proficient in the Python programming language.
• Exhibit excellent communication skills (oral and written) and strong interpersonal skills to facilitate team building, partnering, and leadership.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships through active participation in building industry organizations and events.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in software tool development.
• Expertise in Automated Fault Detection and Diagnosis (AFDD).
• Proficiency in data-driven building energy modeling (e.g., black-box or grey box).
• Expertise in machine learning and big data analysis.
• 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.

 

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

 

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

 

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.