Electrical Engineer, Power Generation

** Overview*
* At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation's biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation's power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system;

and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

The Earth Systems Science Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, provides leadership and solutions that advance Earth system opportunities for energy systems and national security. We are a multidisciplinary division connected by a shared commitment to innovate and collaborate towards solving complex problems in the dynamic Earth system

** Responsibilities*
* The Operational Systems Engineering group within the Earth Systems Science Division seeks a mid-career Electrical Engineer to support research, development, and deployment activities focused on power generation, hydropower, and pumped storage technologies. This position supports projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydropower and Hydrokinetics Office, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, and other federal and state stakeholders.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with engineers, scientists, project managers, and external partners to address the complex technical and operational challenges facing electrical power systems in critical utility infrastructure.

This position offers a diverse range of technical and project-oriented responsibilities. The successful applicant will need to be adaptable, collaborative, and capable of balancing multiple priorities across research and applied engineering efforts.

Duties include:

+ Lead and support engineering assessments of hydropower electrical systems, including generation, excitation, protection schemes, and grid-interconnection assets, to identify opportunities for improved performance, reliability, and resilience.

+ Develop engineering-focused modernization roadmaps for aging electrical power assets, defining technical requirements for upgrades that enhance system integrity and operational longevity.

+ Serve as the electrical engineering subject matter expert, providing critical guidance to ensure that new technologies and modern security architectures are compatible with the operational and safety requirements of power automation and protection systems.

+ Provide technical leadership and direct oversight in the field during system upgrades, coordinating with facility operators and vendors to validate that modernization efforts are implemented correctly, safely, and without compromising plant reliability.

+ Author and present high-quality technical products-including engineering analyses, documentation, reports, and publications-to effectively communicate project findings to sponsors, partners, and the broader technical community.

+ Collaborate with multidisciplinary technical teams to identify engineering challenges, assess risks, and develop innovative solutions supporting reliable and sustainable hydropower generation.

+ Support research and engineering activities spanning early-stage research and development through applied science and technology demonstration projects.

+ Contribute to…