Post Doctorate Research Associate- Sensing & Measurement at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Wayne State University; Richland (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Wayne State University is looking for a Post Doctorate Research Associate to contribute to research in power systems dynamics at PNNL in Richland, Washington. Ideal candidates will have a PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field, along with proficiency in MATLAB and Python.

This role involves collaborating with a diverse team, managing research tasks, contributing to technical publications, and supporting innovative research ideas to address energy challenges.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years or within the next 8 months.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher preferred.
• Strong foundation in power systems dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Support development of research approaches for modern power system dynamics.
• Collaborate with diverse researchers to enable the grid of the future.
• Contribute to technical products such as papers and reports.

Skills

Power systems dynamics

MATLAB

Python

Statistical signal processing

Technical writing

Data analytics

Machine learning

Version control (Git)

Education

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

PSS/E

PowerWorld

PSCAD

Job description

Post Doctorate Research Associate – Sensing & Measurement

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system; and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

The Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, is accelerating the transition to an efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through basic and applied research. We leverage a strong technical foundation in power and energy systems and advanced data analytics to drive innovation, transform markets, and shape energy policy.

Responsibilities

The Energy Systems Engineering Group is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join a dynamic research program at the intersection of power systems monitoring, statistical signal processing, and emerging grid reliability challenges posed by evolving load profiles and generation mixes. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in power systems dynamics, familiarity with time-synchronized measurements and wide-area measurement systems, and proficiency in scripting languages such as Python and MATLAB. Experience with positive-sequence and/or EMT dynamic modeling, and proficiency with commercial simulation platforms such as PSS/E, PowerWorld, or PSCAD, will be highly desirable. Other valuable skills include strong technical writing, experience with data analytics, machine learning, or AI applications, and familiarity with version control platforms such as Git.

Beyond technical skills, we are looking for an intellectually curious, self‑directed researcher who thrives in a collaborative, multi‑institutional environment. The ability to grow quickly into new problem domains matters as much as specific prior expertise. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to peer‑reviewed publications, present findings to technical and industry audiences, and play an active role in shaping research directions.

Key responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to:

• Supporting the development of innovative, technically rigorous research approaches to address challenges in modern power system dynamics, emerging power electronics‑interfaced loads, generation/storage resources, and electrified transportation.
• Collaborating closely with researchers from diverse technical backgrounds across the group and division to contribute to solutions that enable the grid of the future.
• Executing research tasks with appropriate guidance, demonstrating increasing independence over time, and managing small, well defined technical efforts as experience grows.
• Contributing to high quality technical products such as journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports, and presenting research findings to internal and external audiences.
• Supporting the development of new research ideas and assisting in the preparation of proposals that expand capabilities and advance program objectives.

The successful candidate will be accountable to:

• Project Managers for meeting expectations around task execution, quality, timeliness.
• The Energy Systems Engineering Group Leader, and Sensing & Measurements Team Lead, for general staff performance and development and operational discipline (e.g., maintaining training qualifications, procedural compliance, safe operations).

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in electrical engineering or related field.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher preferred.
• Proficiency in scripting languages like MATLAB and Python.
• Strong foundation in power systems dynamics, hands‑on experience with commercial power systems simulators like PSS/E/PowerWorld and/or PSCAD, familiarity with inverter control principles.
• Experience in statistical signal processing, demonstrated through graduate‑level research projects or coursework.
• Strong technical writing and oral communication skills.