Energy Systems Life Cycle Analysis – Postdoctoral Researcher

The Systems Assessment Center within the Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis Division at Argonne National Laboratory is seeking a technically competent Post-Doctoral Researcher to conduct life cycle analysis (LCA) of energy systems and vehicle technologies. The Systems Assessment Center develops and maintains the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) model which is widely used by government, industry, and academic stakeholders to provide objective and rigorous results (see greet.es.anl.gov). The Postdoctoral Researcher will work to develop a version of GREET covering major world regions by working with international organizations such as the International Energy Agency. Successful applicant will collect and process data from various public and commercial data sources as well as literature, develop new models and datasets, perform LCA, and quantify the energy and environmental impacts of various energy systems and vehicle technologies in various world regions. The position specifically requires to collect and process the data regarding major energy systems/sectors, including but not limited to petroleum fuel production/transportation, natural gas production/transmission, hydrogen production/transmission, electricity generation/transmission, biofuel production/transportation, and on-road vehicle operations in different world regions. Ideal candidate is expected have experience in LCA and systems analysis of energy systems. The Postdoctoral Researcher will collect and synthesize information to conduct LCA studies in the existing and to-be-developed GREET modeling platforms with application program interfaces (API), process large datasets to extract meaningful results, communicate results through well-designed presentations, publish journal articles and reports, and present results at conferences, workshops, and project meetings.

The Systems Assessment Center continues a 30-year history of leadership in the field of LCA. The Postdoctoral Researcher will join the Argonne LCA team including experts in a variety of topics relevant to their work and will regularly collaborate with experts of Argonne as well as international agencies, industry, and other national laboratories. A candidate will work with Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.

Position Requirements

• A Ph.D. degree in engineering, environmental science, or other related field with coursework and/or research experience in life cycle analysis.

• Expertise in systems analysis of transportation fuels, vehicle technologies, and energy systems (e.g., petroleum, natural gas, hydrogen, electricity, biofuels, and vehicle operation).

• Demonstrated competence in life cycle analysis or closely-related skills.

• Computer skills relevant for data manipulation and analysis including experience with creating and using complex models in Excel (with VBA scripting).

• A successful candidate must have the ability to model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications Include:

• Passion for and experience in data-driven sustainability analysis

• Familiarity with a wide range of data sources relevant for environmental and sustainability analysis, and the ability to identify topics and data sources and engage experts to conduct research. Capable of identifying key issues of complex systems/processes.

• Familiarity of global and regional energy-related data sources (e.g., various International Energy Agency statistics series and reports) is a plus.

• Well-developed problem-solving, systems thinking, quantitative, and critical thinking skills; intellectual curiosity. Able to structure and formulate solutions to complex problems.

• Highly motivated and detail oriented with the ability to work independently and in close collaboration with team members. Energized by working as part of a highly functioning team and demonstrates a professional attitude.

• Skilled written and verbal communicator, including the ability to present complex information so that it is understandable to a broad audience.

• Besides Excel and VBA scripting, experience with MS Access, at least one programing language (Python, R, Java, C#, Matlab, etc.), and other related software (e.g., AspenPlus, ArcGIS) is preferred. Experience with GREET or other LCA software such as openLCA, SimaPro, or GaBi is preferred.

• Experience analyzing large or complex datasets.

Interested candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, writing sample, names and contact information for three professional references, and college transcripts to the application management system

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