Graduate (Year-Round) Intern – Modeling, Real-Time Simulation and Hardware in the Loop (HIL) Testing of Distribution Systems

NREL • Golden, CO

5d • Onsite

About The Position

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. The Power Systems Engineering Center at The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) focuses on conducting research projects to improve power systems operations. We develop cutting edge solutions and work closely with industry and utility partners to enhance grid reliability, resilience, and security. Our team is looking for a graduate level intern who has solid background on simulation and hardware in the loop testing of microgrids in distribution systems. An ideal candidate is expected to have a good knowledge of dynamic modeling of distribution systems, relay programming, microgrid controller programming as well as setting up controller hardware in the loop (CHIL) interfaces for real-time simulators. This will be a 3 to 6 month opportunity. Note: this position requires regular laboratory testing and in-person work arrangements at NLR's South Table Mountain Campus in Golden, CO are required. This role is not eligible to fully remote work arrangements.

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
• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a Master’s program, or currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Power Systems or a related field
• Demonstrated knowledge or experience in power system modeling, dynamics, and control (OpenDSS or similar)
• Experience in programming commercial relays and microgrid controllers
• Experience in working with RTDS simulator, devices like SEL RTAC and SEL relays
• Self-motivated, having good problem-solving capability, and ability to follow project timelines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Good programming skills in Python

Nice To Haves

• Experience in conducting power hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and controller HIL experiments for distribution systems
• Experience in setting up microgrid controllers and relays

Responsibilities

• Setting up CHIL interfaces using commercial microgrid controllers and relays for real-time simulation models of microgrids
• Conducting Hardware in the Loop (HIL) experiments using real-time simulation models of distribution feeders and hardware microgrid controllers
• Implementing sequence of operations for grid-connected and islanded operation of utility-scale microgrids in commercial microgrid controllers
• Analyzing high-resolution data collected from real-time simulations and HIL experiments of distribution feeders using Python
• Contributing and/or leading the writing of research papers and working closely with NLR researchers and delivering high-impact work

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.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees