Home Energy Calculator Engineer

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We are currently seeking a Home Energy Calculator Engineer (at a Senior or Principal level) to join our Environmental Energy Technologies Division. This position is part of the Energy Analysis Department, which studies diverse aspects of energy end supply and demand in the United States and internationally. The Department's research projects include the energy use of appliances, commercial and residential buildings, industrial facilities, the public sector, electricity markets, and transmission and distribution.

The Department develops the Home Energy Saver (HES) web sites (HES and HESPro) and associated calculation engines used by consumers and professionals to identify cost-effective energy efficiency upgrade opportunities in homes. The sites have about 1 million visits per year, and future visibility and growth are expected to be significant as HES is more deeply integrated into national energy policy programs and private-sector delivery strategies. The project team includes project leader, technical/engineering staff, software engineers, user-interface and content developers, and project manager. An important mission of the HES project is to continually improve the methods and data used to analyze energy efficiency upgrades for homes, so that the public can access the latest findings from the energy research community.

Position Overview: 

This position is responsible for the ongoing enhancement and maintenance of the HES data and models for residential energy analysis, and close support of the software engineering and programming needed to implement these models in a highly scalable web environment. Specific tasks include compiling technology data for residential end-uses, synthesizing these data for use in various energy analysis models, designing and developing energy analysis models, and developing software specifications and requirements for implementing these models on the web. The position may supervise other technical program and support staff and direct the work of subcontractors.  

Job Title:  Home Energy Calculator Engineer Req Number:  23783 Division:  Environmental Energy Tech Department:  Energy Analysis 

Responsibilities: 

The Home Energy Calculator Engineer will:

• Participate in the development of residential energy analysis software and services.
• Review and improve existing engineering and economic algorithms within the HES websites.
• Develop novel methods for making these analyses accessible and useful to diverse audiences.
• Collaborate with technical staff at LBNL and other institutions to develop and improve methodologies.
• Identify, obtain, and analyze datasets used in characterizing energy use in homes, as well as the performance and cost-effectiveness of energy-efficient technologies.
• Translate calculations and processes into rigorous specifications that enable software engineers to implement new algorithms and data within web-based calculations.
• Create systematic protocols and test cases to validate the implementation of new algorithms and data.
• Create engineering documentation of models and data developed for HES.
• Identify and evaluate qualitative sources of energy-efficiency information for consumer or professional audiences to complement the quantitative model results.
• Help third-party users of the HES calculation-engine APIs understand the methodology and functionality of the HES engine.
• Provide technical support to direct users of the websites.
• Prepare technical papers for peer-reviewed journals and final reports in fulfillment of contract deliverables. Make presentations on research results for diverse audiences, including technical conferences and project reviews.
• Implement residential renewable energy technologies and performance models in HES, as needed.
• Work with software engineers to design high performance, scalable web sites, as needed.  

Qualifications:

Home Energy Calculator Engineer 2:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, energy and resources, or related field and 2 to 5 years professional experience. Will accept equal years of relevant work experience, in lieu of degree.
• Demonstrated experience in working independently to conduct buildings energy analysis.
• Demonstrated experience in a research environment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills as demonstrated by technical reports and presentations.
• Proven ability to work in innovative R&D projects and ability to work effectively with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and technical support staff.
• Working familiarity with end-use efficiency technologies and associated engineering economics, and the ability to translate these principals into technical models of performance.
• Familiarity with major national or regional residential energy efficiency programs, rating systems, etc.
• Familiarity with the DOE-2 simulation model.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise junior staff and subcontractors.
• Graduate degree in engineering, energy and resources, or related field is preferred.
• Expertise in using the DOE-2 model is preferred.
• Familiarity with the Energy Plus model is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in development of energy analysis software is preferred.
• Working knowledge of Fortran, C, php or other computer programming languages, preferred.
• Experience developing high performance, scalable web sites.  

Home Energy Calculator Engineer 3:

(In addition to the Home Energy Calculator Engineer 2 qualifications)

• Master's degree in engineering, energy and resources, or related field and 3 to 6 years of professional experience. Will accept equal years of relevant work experience, in lieu of degree.
• Experience work in innovative R&D projects, effectively partnering with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and technical support staff.
• Experience working with end-use efficiency technologies and associated engineering economics, with the ability to translate these principals into technical models of performance.
• Experience supervising staff and subcontractors.
• Strong knowledge of data collection and processing, with a similar level of understanding when it comes to data analysis.

Notes: This is a 2-year term appointment with the possibility of renewal or conversion to career based on performance, business needs, and continued funding. This position will be filled at a Home Energy Calculator Engineer or a Home Energy Calculator Engineer 3 level, depending on qualifications.  

To Apply:

Please apply directly online and follow the on-line instructions to complete the application process. As part of the online application process, please submit a single attachment that includes both your resume or CV and a statement of your research interests. Please be sure to reference where you found out about the position.

Berkeley Lab is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to the development of a diverse workforce.