Offshore Wind Techno-economic Project Lead

Company: National Renewable Energy Lab
Location: Boulder
Posted on: May 26, 2023

Job Description:

Posting Title
Offshore Wind Techno-economic Project Lead

Location
CO - Boulder

Position Type
Regular

Hours Per Week
40

COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Employment at NREL is contingent upon your compliance with all NREL and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) safety protocols and mitigation efforts directed at the COVID-19 pandemic.
Working at NREL
NREL's 305-acre Flatirons Campus is the nation's premier wind energy, water power, and grid integration research facility. Nestled south of Boulder, Colorado, and north of NREL's main South Table Mountain campus, Flatirons sits adjacent to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and countless acres of open space and parks with stunning views of the Flatirons rock formations.
From day one at NREL, you'll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you'll have the opportunity to engage through our eight employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.
NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.
Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL's critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.
Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.
Job Description
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado, is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) and our Flatirons Campus has pioneered wind turbine components, systems, and modeling methods that have driven the industry's acceleration over the past 40 years.
The National Wind Technology Center is seeking a qualified candidate to help lead projects related to offshore wind energy techno-economic analysis. The candidate will work with NREL senior staff to scope and manage projects that will focus on evaluating costs, logistics, and impacts of offshore wind in various regions of the United States under various technology and infrastructure scenarios. Specific areas of interest for this work include all aspects of offshore wind economics and market analysis including but not limited to turbine and substructure design, balance of system costs, financing, grid, regulatory environment, infrastructure, and supply chain. The work will involve leading small teams of 2-3 junior analysts and guiding the research, results, and dissemination of the projects. The candidate will develop and enhance software models, either running the models or directing the work through junior analysts. The candidate will be expected to originate and develop internal and external funding proposals to conduct high impact research for the offshore wind industry. Finally, the candidate will be expected to lead the writing and quality management of technical publications and presentations to disseminate NREL's work to a wide audience.
Specific job duties include:

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  Leading small teams (2-3 people) engaged in techno-economic analyses of various aspects of offshore wind, including spatial cost analyses, supply chain assessments, technology evaluations, and installation/deployment logistics.
  
  
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  Tracking deliverables, budgets, and staff resources for specific projects.
  
  
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  Applying quantitative and qualitative research methods to determine the opportunity or value of technology innovation in offshore wind power systems and to identify key variables and sensitivities.
  
  
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  Interfacing with external partners and industry contacts to verify assumptions.
  
  
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  Conducting independent research to confirm methods and results.
  
  
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  Interpreting model results and validating them with market data and information
  
  
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  Briefing internal and external stakeholders on project status and results
  
  
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  Mentoring junior staff members
  
  
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  Publishing results in technical journals/conference proceedings and presenting work at conferences, symposia, and review meetings
  
  
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  Leading the development of new work proposals
  
  
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  Contribute to research activities in complementary fields, including land-based wind and green hydrogen.
  
  
  
  Basic Qualifications
  Relevant PhD and 4 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Master's Degree and 7 or more years of experience . Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 9 or more years of experience .
  *** Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.**
  Additional Required Qualifications
  - Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and communication skills
  - Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills and critical thinking.
  - Demonstrated analytical skills
  - Demonstrated ability to work constructively on an independent basis and on teams
  - Demonstrated ability to collect, synthesize, and analyze data from a variety of differentsources
  - Demonstrated ability to lead projects, including managing budgets, staff, and deliverables.
  - Demonstrated ability to engage with stakeholders of high visibility projects
  - Basic understanding of wind energy technology and economics; especially offshore wind.
  Preferred Qualifications
  - Previous experience with the offshore wind industry in a project development, research, or analysis setting
  - Demonstrated abilities in creating or improving computational tools
  - Awareness or experience with the offshore wind regulatory process
  - Proficiency with programming languages, including Python, R, or Matlab
  - Proficiency with version control software, such as GitHub
  - Project management certification, training, or experience
  - Proficiency in wind energy technology
  
  Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
  Job Profile: Researcher IV / Annual Salary Range: $93,100 - $167,600
  NREL takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
  Benefits Summary
  Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.
  ***** Based on eligibility rules
  Submission Guidelines
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  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy's effort to secure an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NREL is the primary laboratory for research, development, and deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States.
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Keywords: National Renewable Energy Lab, Boulder , Offshore Wind Techno-economic Project Lead, Other , Boulder, Colorado