Postdoctoral Research Fellow

San Diego State University; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 59,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

San Diego State University Research Foundation seeks a Postdoctoral researcher to advance research in power electronics and battery storage systems. Under supervision of SDSU faculty, you will mentor students, conduct sponsored research, and collaborate with fellow postdocs.

The position emphasizes developing optimization algorithms, documenting findings, and presenting results to sponsors. Publication quality and strong communication are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in electrical engineering or related field required.
• Post-PhD research experience preferred.
• Experience with lithium-ion batteries.
• Experience with power electronics.
• Strong publication record will be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in power electronics and related areas.
• Supervise graduate and undergraduate students on projects.
• Collaborate with other postdocs and doctoral students.
• Develop and validate algorithms to optimize design and operation of battery systems.
• Analyze data and write papers/reports for sponsors.
• Present results to sponsors and participate in proposals.

Skills

Lithium-ion batteries experience

Mandarin speaking (plus)

Education

Doctoral degree (Electrical Engineering or related)

Tools

Maxwell

AutoCAD

Protel DXP

ANSYS Fluent

Simulink

PSIM

Job description

The salary for this position is $5,858.67 per month depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

FUNCTION OF THE UNIT

Caili & Daniel Chang Center for Electric Drive Transportation, Research; 10 employees

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Under supervision of an SDSU Faculty member, this position is intended to provide mentored advanced training to enhance professional skills and research independence in the Post Doc's academic discipline. Conduct sponsored research, supervise master’s and undergraduate students in their projects, collaborate with other post doctors and doctoral students.

Core Responsibilities

Conduct research in power electronics, supervise master’s and undergraduate students in their projects, collaborate with other post doctors and doctoral students.

Position Specific Responsibilities 95%

• Second-life EV battery storage project,
• This system is currently in operation (320kWh) and will need monitoring and continued improvement. We will need to develop and validate optimization algorithms to improve operation and cost savings.
• We will deploy the energy management controller in a SunGrow 550kWh energy storage system in the next few months. Continue to commercialize the system if possible.
• Wireless battery management systems using Dokusi chips
• 5kWh Battery pack design and prototyping for solid state batteries
• 1kWh Battery pack conceptual design for lithium air batteries.
• Conduct experiments of the above projects and record data.
• Develop algorithms to optimize the design and operation of the above systems.
• Analyze the data and write papers and reports about the results of the projects.
• Present the results to sponsors.
• Participate in writing proposals

Other Duties Required 5%

Minimum Education

• A doctoral degree or equivalent in an appropriate field

Preferred Skills And Qualifications

• Ph.D in electric Engineering with a focus on power electronics
• Minimum 3 years of experience post Ph.D degree
• Experience with lithium-ion batteries
• Mandarin-speaking is a plus as it may require to communicate with one of the project sponsors in Chinese

Core Knowledge And Abilities

• Excellent publication history
• Excellent written and oral skills
• Experience in supervision of graduate and undergraduate students.
• Interact effectively with students, sponsors, and other participants
• Understand and follow posted work rules and procedures

Project Specific Knowledge And Abilities

• Proficient in power electronics
• Experience with lithium-ion batteries and storage systems
• Coding experience with DSP and microprocessors
• Proficient in Simulation tools such as Maxwell, AutoCAD, Protel DXP, ANSYS Fluent, Simulink, PSIM.
• Experience in the design of power converters

Additional Applicant Information

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.