Postdoctoral Researcher Geothermal Science/Engineering

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Mar 27

Applications are closed

Job
Full-time
Entry Level
Research & Development
$71.3K - $117.6K
Golden

Requirements

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications:
In addition, the successful candidate must have demonstrated ability/experience in the following areas:
Geophysics/geology/rock physics
Resource exploration and characterization; exploration methods and drilling
Geophysical theory, methods, data processing, and/or inversion
ArcGIS or other GIS software
Data analytics using spreadsheets, data visualization, etc. to analyze data and make conclusions.
Subsurface data processing, modeling and interpretation.
3D geological modeling environments, such as Leapfrog
Thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) reservoir modeling, or subsets thereof, using simulators such as CMG STARS, FALCON, Volsung, GOHFER, Resfrac, TOUGH family of codes, OpenGeoSys.
General data processing and analysis software, such as Python or MATLAB.
Effective and concise communication both in writing and speaking; to disseminate research results through technical talks and through publications, as demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Preferred Qualifications:
Familiarity with the U.S. and international geothermal energy sector
Field work with geothermal systems
Publications in peer-reviewed journals
Knowledge of U.S. DOE geothermal research
Familiarity with use of high-performance computing for complex simulations.

Responsibilities

This position performs geoscientific, geospatial, technology, and techno-economic analysis, with an emphasis on geothermal energy systems and infrastructure. Work carried out will support R&D and decision-maker support activities within the NREL geothermal program using analysis methodologies such as geologic/geophysical/geochemical data processing and modeling, geothermal resource assessment, and subsurface/reservoir characterization.
The researcher will work on various projects designing and analyzing performance and feasibility of geothermal systems, including for heating and cooling applications as well as electricity production. Tasks include modeling the subsurface heat transfer, surface plant operation, and overall economics of the system. Subsurface systems considered include hydrothermal, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), deep closed-loop systems as well as shallow borehole fields.
The researcher will likely utilize various NREL software tools such as dGeo, GEOPHIRES, SAM, SBT, and GHEDesigner as well as third-party open-source and commercial software (e.g., TOUGH family of codes, ResFrac, etc.) for modeling the geothermal systems. For some projects, the analysis may require Python coding to implement updates to these tools. The researcher will document results in publications (including peer-reviewed journals) and present results at geothermal conferences
This person will participate with senior staff to conceive and propose new research concepts and projects related to geothermal energy, and work with senior staff to develop collaborative internal and external relationships.
The position requires documenting work for internal communication and external publication, e.g., writing and publishing analysis results in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at national and international forums. The successful candidate will represent NREL's research and analysis at technical, business, and stakeholder events.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Science & Healthcare

Industry

1001-5000

Employees

1977

Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a Department of Energy national lab, is #TransformingEnergy as the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL's Mission: NREL develops renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advances related science and engineering, and transfers knowledge and innovations to address the nation's energy and environmental goals. NREL's Strategy: NREL has forged a focused strategic direction to increase its impact on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) and our nation's energy goals by accelerating the research path from scientific innovations to market-viable alternative energy solutions.