Graduate Internship - Power Grid Operation & Optimization (3-12 months)

National Laboratory of the Rockies; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 51,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) employer match

Sick leave

Job summary

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) invites graduate students for a 3–12 month Graduate Internship in Power Grid Operation & Optimization. This fixed-term internship provides 40 hours per week in Golden, CO, with a focus on modeling, optimization, and control of energy systems.

The ideal candidate is pursuing a Master’s or PhD, has coursework in power systems, and can develop optimization models or data-driven controls.

Qualifications

• Relevant Master or Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.
• Experience in power system modeling, optimization, and control.
• Experience with at least one of the listed power system software tools.
• Proficiency in Matlab or Python programming.

Responsibilities

• Support research in power grid operation and optimization.
• Develop optimization models or data-driven controls for grid applications.
• Publish research findings in prestigious journals.

Skills

Power system modeling

Optimization

Control systems

Python programming

Matlab

OpenDSS

PSCAD

PSS/E

CPLEX

CVXPY

Pyomo

GAMS

Education

Master's or PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

OpenDSS

PSCAD

PSS/E

CPLEX

CVXPY

Pyomo

GAMS

Job description

Posting Title

Graduate Internship - Power Grid Operation & Optimization (3-12 months)

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Intern (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Grid Automation and Controls Group of the Power Systems and Engineering Center (PSEC) at NLR is looking for an exceptional Graduate or Ph.D. Graduate student to support research in power grid operation and optimization.

We are looking for a student intern who has a solid background in power system modeling, operation, and optimization. The ideal candidate is expected to have strong experience in understanding power system operations and energy management topics, and developing optimization models and/or data-driven controls that are related to at least one of the following topics:

• Developing energy management strategies related to ADMS, DERMS, microgrid controls, home energy management systems
• Developing optimization schemes or data-driven controls for grid reliability and resilience
• Developing grid automation and control schemes

The ideal candidate is also expected to have a proven record of publishing research work in prestigious journals.

Basic Qualifications

Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.

Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.

Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.

Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.

Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Relevant Master or Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science or related fields.
• Experience in power system modeling, optimization, and control
• Experience in at least one of the power system software tools including OpenDSS, PSCAD, PSS/E
• Experience in at least one of the optimization solvers and platforms such as CPLEX, CVXPY, Pyomo, GAMS
• Proficiency in Matlab or Python programming

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiar with demand response, virtual power plant, DER management
• Familiar with grid resilience
• Familiar with optimization solvers and packages (e.g., GAMS, Gurobi, CPLEX)
• Proficiency in programming
• R&D work related to LLM/agentic AI experience is a plus.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $51,200 - $81,900

NLR 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; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR 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. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

***** Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations (https://www.nlr.gov/careers/employment-policies)

E -Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here (http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/08/13/FinalOSCPosterEN08_01_2013.pdf) for English or here (http://www.justice.gov/crt/file/813271/download) for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, Fairbanks, Alaska, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NLR bridges foundational research with practical applications to develop and bring to scale new energy materials and technologies that lower energy costs, drive economic growth, and deliver abundant and reliable energy.

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE).