Posting Title
Postdoctoral Researcher – Acoustics of Industrial Equipment in the Energy Sector (Cooling Systems, Fuel Cells, Distributed Wind Turbines) .
Location
CO - Boulder .
Position Type
Postdoc (Fixed Term) .
Hours Per Week
40 .
Working at NLR
NLR’s 305-acre Flatirons Campus is the nation’s premier wind energy, water power, and grid integration research facility. Nestled south of Boulder, Colorado, and north of NLR’s main South Table Mountain campus, Flatirons Campus sits adjacent to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and countless acres of open space and parks with stunning views of the Flatirons rock formations.
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 Flatirons Campus of the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is seeking a qualified candidate to help execute projects on the acoustic emissions of industrial equipment in the energy sector, including cooling systems, fuel cells, and distributed wind turbines. This is a postdoctoral position combining experimental and numerical work.
Experimental activities consist of deploying an existing array of microphones covering the audible and low-frequency ranges at various distances and radial distributions. The first field deployments will happen on site; later deployments may require travel. Once data is collected, the candidate is expected to post-process and analyze it, draw takeaways, and inform future campaigns. Numerical work consists of implementing existing emission and propagation models and developing next-generation ones. The candidate will focus on validating these models against measurements and on investigating and proposing design changes toward quieter energy systems.
The postdoc will work with a wide variety of customers, including the U.S. Department of Energy Integrated Energy Systems Office, the Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks Office, and the Office of Policy. Over time, the postdoc will also collaborate with other national laboratories, industry and academic partners, and the international community to execute projects and promote the energy industry. The postdoc is expected to demonstrate a broad understanding of engineering principles and general knowledge of energy-related disciplines, applications, and challenges.
The postdoc will be expected to publish research results in technical journals/conference proceedings and present work at conferences, symposia, and review meetings. They will also be expected to support project proposal preparation and reviews.
The period of performance is anticipated to be one-year with the opportunity to extend for up to three years.
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Basic Qualifications
Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field prior to beginning assignment.
Strong coding skills, preferably in Python, proficiency in data analysis using open-source software, and familiarity with agentic AI tools.
Published research in acoustics,…