Posting Title

Researcher II – Data Center Energy Systems

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Limited Term (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 NLR Computational Science Center’s Advanced Computing Operations group (ACO) is a focal point for data center operations and research. NLR’s award-winning energy-efficient data center is a living laboratory where researchers advance thermal management, liquid cooling and data center optimization efforts. As a living laboratory NLR both operates HPC capabilities on behalf of DOE and NLR but also is a focal point for research on advanced data center technologies and system integration. The ACO group has data center expertise in liquid cooling for high power density racks and takes a holistic systems approach to data center optimization from the server chip level out to the building facilities and campus levels.

We are seeking a researcher focusing on modeling and experimental heat and mass transfer of energy systems applied to data center facilities. The successful candidate will join team members on cutting-edge data center, laboratory and analytical projects to research, develop, and evaluate heat and mass transfer components and systems. The successful candidate should have a strong background and understanding of heat and mass transfer, including theory, numerical modeling, and experiments. This job requires dominance of an engineering discipline, focused around mechanical systems, and controls, and necessitates the ability and interest to work in the data center and address physical wiring, fabrication and troubleshooting, design experiments, accomplish project management tasks, and function successfully in a team environment and as an individual performer.

Under the general direction of senior staff, the successful candidate will:

• Develop, improve, and conduct first-principles numerical modeling of heat exchangers, thermal energy storage, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

• Design, develop, and analyze new HVAC processes and components applied to data centers.

• Perform laboratory experiments on fluid/thermal components and systems.

• Contribute to papers and reports.

To learn more about the work our team does, check out the following links:

NLR High-Performance Computing Data Center

NLR High-Performance Computing User Facility

NLR Computational Science

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Basic Qualifications

Relevant Master's Degree . Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 2 or more years of experience . General knowledge and application of engineering technical standards, principles, theories, concepts and techniques. Training in team, task or project leadership responsibilities. Intermediate abilities and knowledge of practices and techniques. Beginning experience in project management. Good writing, interpersonal and communication skills.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Recent graduate with a strong academic and research record in relevant heat transfer, thermodynamics, and mass transfer field with emphasis on modeling and experimental research.

• Degree in mechanical engineering, architectural engineering, or relevant dissertation research in other engineering or science fields.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills (oral and written) and demonstrated ability to work independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Heat and mass transfer fundamentals

• HVAC fundamentals or refrigeration cycles – understanding of hydronic loops, cooling towers, dry coolers, air-handling units, and make-up air units

• Building modeling, including integration with thermal storage or HVAC

• Laboratory experiments and data acquisition systems

• Numerical modeling techniques and computer programming

• Experience programming in Engineering Equation Solver (EES), MATLAB, Python, or similar tools

• Perform physical work in data center including wiring, interface design and build, commissioning of new equipment, and operation of complex experimental setups.

• Willingness to accept a variety of tasks, both technical and non-technical, to support group operations and business processes.

• Desire to learn and grow in a technical career.

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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: Researcher II / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400

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; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. 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. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* 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.

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.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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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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