Graduate (6-12 months) Power System Stability Analysis Intern

National Renewable Energy Laboratory • Golden, CO

2d

About The Position

We are seeking a talented and motivated Power System Stability Analysis Engineer to join our team in a cutting-edge project focused on the stability analysis of power systems with a high penetration of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs). As IBRs become increasingly prevalent, their integration into power grids presents unique challenges in grid stability, oscillation detection, and control. This project involves analyzing and interpreting real-time data from over 100 Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) installed across the system to identify grid disturbances, detect oscillations, and assess system strength.

Requirements

• 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.
• Must have completed a bachelor’s degree and either be enrolled in or recently graduated from a master’s program, or be enrolled in a PhD program in, electrical engineering with power systems stability, with focus on power systems dynamics/stability
• Demonstrated experience in power system stability analysis, particularly in IBR-dominant grids
• Proven experience in PMU data analysis, including oscillation detection, system stability analysis, and event identification
• Demonstrated knowledge of power system stability metrics such as Equivalent Short-Circuit Ratio (ESCR), system inertia estimation, and oscillation mode identification
• Demonstrated experience in signal processing such as time-domain signal processing ( i.e. filtering, noise reduction, event and disturbance detection etc.) and frequency-domain techniques (i.e. fast Fourier transformation, mode and oscillation analysis etc.)
• Demonstrated proficiency in python programming or other major programming language
• Demonstrated experience in power system simulation software (e.g., MATLAB/SIMULINK/PSCAD)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to work with large datasets and derive actionable insights

Nice To Haves

• Current PhD student in electrical engineering with a power systems focus
• Knowledge or experience in frequency-domain analysis and time-domain analysis for power systems

Responsibilities

• Analyzing PMU data (from more than 100 PMUs) to monitor power system stability and detect grid disturbances
• Create visualizations of grid strength and stability based on PMU Data such as heat maps of grid inertia, voltage profile, equivalent short circuit ratio etc.
• Develop techniques that will improve the resilience and reliability of future power grids, particularly in systems dominated by IBRs
• Produce detailed reports on oscillation detection, system strength assessment, and grid stability findings
• Provide recommendations for mitigating potential stability risks
• Collaborate with power system engineers, control experts, and software developers to refine system models, improve analysis techniques, and support operational decision-making
• Contribute towards technical documentation and the generation of research papers

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern