The Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis (ESIA) division addresses energy security and environmental sustainability by analyzing the benefits and challenges of efficient energy technologies and making U.S. energy systems more sustainable and resilient. We develop and use analytic tools to help the U.S. achieve the goals required to achieve deep grid decarbonization. We also develop, deploy, and advance grid technologies that ensure a robust and secure U.S. grid transmission and distribution system. We collaborate with government agencies as well as companies to help move the nation toward an economy based on affordable, sustainable, and clean energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower energy.

The successful postdoctoral candidate will join a team of Argonne researchers and work closely with federal agencies and other national laboratories. The successful candidate will support financial, economic, and environmental analyses of power systems with a particular focus on hydropower systems. The successful candidate will develop and apply methodologies and tools for financial, economic, and environmental analyses of hydropower systems. While hydro will be a primary focus, the group the postdoctoral candidate will be supporting is also heavily engaged in the study of energy storage systems, grid decarbonization, and electricity markets. The position will involve the development and use of computer models, simulations, algorithms, databases, economic models, and financial models. The position will include the analysis of hydropower operations and expansion, optimization and equilibrium, market penetration, and interdependencies. The position will primarily focus on the economic and financial impacts of experimental water flows and environmental regulations on hydropower plants. This description documents the primary focus of the work but is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all activities, duties and responsibilities required. The position could also involve the modeling of grid assets, including renewable energy and energy storage systems, engaged in market and non-market operations in order to determine their economic value, and also to consider alternative market structures on value and other important metrics tied to cost or emissions.

The successful postdoctoral candidate will conduct economic and financial studies of hydropower projects in the context of capacity expansion, retrofitting, and market operations. The successful postdoctoral candidate will study the economic and financial impacts of experimental flows and environmental regulations on existing hydropower projects. The successful candidate will assist in developing power system and hydropower modeling tools that support energy, economic, and environmental analyses of hydropower, energy storage, and other renewable resources. Some of these tools will require the creation of simulation and optimization routines. The successful candidate will not be required to develop extensive power system models in isolation but will rather be working with a team of economists and engineers to ensure that we form a more comprehensive understanding of the economic benefits of hydropower, renewable energy, and energy storage assets, including environmental, non-market, and societal values.

The successful candidate will perform data analytics and conduct research related to a wide range of topic areas including the analysis of energy and power systems, electricity market design and operations, hydropower energy and energy storage integration, and other energy technologies.

The position involves presenting and publishing results in peer reviewed reports and journal articles, making presentations at conferences, supporting program development activities, working in multidisciplinary teams, and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of pertinent literature in which related work is being conducted.

Position Requirements

• Either a PhD degree in economics or a MS degree in economics and a PhD in engineering, operational research, or a related field.

• Knowledge of energy markets, policy, and regulations.

• Knowledge of financial and economic principles applied to the energy sector.

• Knowledge of power systems operations, production cost models, ISO and utility business, applied economics.

• Experience in statistics and statistical analysis.

• Ability to independently identify and solve challenging technical problems and also work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.

• Skilled written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills at all levels of the organization

• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.

• Ability to make our laboratory a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and accessible environment where all can thrive.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of productive and creative research, demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences.

• Experience in researching the energy sector, including aspects of grid decarbonization, clean energy policies, energy production and distribution, electricity markets, and emerging technologies.

• Experience with environmental systems.

• Experience working with federal agencies.

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