Undergraduate/Graduate (3-12 Month, Remote) Intern - Power System/Power Electronics Modeling

National Laboratory of the Rockies; United States; Remote; USD 45,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) plan with employer match

Job summary

National Laboratory of the Rockies invites undergraduates and graduates to apply for a 3‑12 month internship focused on Power Systems and Power Electronics Modeling. Remote-friendly, you will work on dynamic modeling, EMT validation, and inverter‑based resource analysis at NLR.

Collaborate with world‑class researchers, develop skills in stability, control theory, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, and contribute to publications and reports. Enrollment in a degree program and a 3.0 GPA required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3.0 GPA in qualifying programs.
• Undergraduate: full-time student in a bachelor’s program; Post Undergraduate: BA completed within 12 months.
• Graduate: full-time master’s student; Post Graduate: Master completed within 12 months.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical analysis on power electronics and grid‑level control for renewables, storage, and large drives.
• Build EMT models and perform validation of power systems.
• Integrate and test user‑written black box models in PSCAD for various tech assets.
• Publish results in peer‑reviewed venues and align with safety policies.

Skills

Power system EMT tools

Power system stability

Control theory

Modeling and analysis

Python/R

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field

Tools

PSCAD

MATLAB/Simulink

DIgSILENT

RSCAD

Job description

Posting Title

Undergraduate/Graduate (3-12 Month, Remote) Intern - Power System/Power Electronics Modeling

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Intern (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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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 Power Systems Engineering Center (PSEC) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is inviting applications for one or two internship positions to work on in the area of power systems and power electronics interfaces. This position will perform dynamic modeling and validation of power systems with high percentage of inverter‑based resources and evaluate their impact on power grids. This work will be conducted at NREL’s Flatiron Campus. The researcher should have knowledge of power system stability analysis and control theory.

Job responsibilities will include:

• Provide technical analysis related to power electronics and power systems control of renewable generation, battery energy storage systems, and large industrial drives.
• Work under supervision to build power system EMT simulation and perform power system validation.
• Integrating, testing, and using user‑written “black box” models in PSCAD for wind turbine generators, solar inverters, battery energy storage systems (BESS), or other advanced power electronic based systems.
• Evaluate studies that examine the impact of high percentage of inverter‑based resource on power systems.
• Writing and publishing results of analysis in peer‑reviewed journals and technical reports
• Follow all Environmental, Safety, and Health policies to ensure and maintain a safe working environment.

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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.

Please Note: Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process. If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process. Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Experience with power system EMT software tools such as PSCAD, MATLAB/Simulink, DIgSILENT, RSCAD, or other EMT simulation tools.
• Solid knowledge on power system EMT modeling, power system stability and control.
• Solid knowledge on the modeling and control of inverter‑based resources.
• Ability to present technical results to multi‑stakeholder audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or project experience in power system or power electronics modeling.
• Coursework or project experience using Python, R, or similar programming programing languages.
• Experience with RTDS modeling and HIL testing.
• Basic familiarity with EMTP‑RV and/or EMTP‑ATP.

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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: $44,500 - $71,200

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.

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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

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