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We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.
Job Description
NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis and Decision Sciences (SEADS) directorate is seeking a full-time Digital Assets Strategist to develop and lead implementation of a SEADS strategy for our software engineering and data. The goal for this role is to increase the external impact of our research through innovations in how we approach our software and data.
We are looking for an individual to work with SEADS technical staff to create and execute a vision for improving SEADS’ digital assets and introduce a high-quality software mindset to approaching tool development and data management. SEADS digital assets include datasets (e.g., Annual Technology Baseline, Cambium), models (e.g., Renewable Energy Potential (reV) model, R Eopt), and applications (e.g., SLOPE), as described at https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/data-tools.html. The ideal candidate will bring strong communication and organizational skills and thrive on problem-solving in real-time.
The Digital Assets Strategist will report directly to the SEADS Associate Lab Director and work in collaboration with software tool product teams, center-level virtual asset management leads, and other NREL senior-level staff to improve our software culture. Goals include a software & data product strategy that supports high-quality analyses, improved external access to NREL’s digital products, a new business line that supports direct funding for software and data products, and metrics to monitor and track improvements in our software culture.
What We Can Offer:
- A collaborative, flexible, and fun work environment
- Partnerships with incredibly smart and talented staff in world-class research facilities
- Research to support a clean, low-carbon energy future
- Results that positively impact our local, national, global communities and our planet
Job Duties May Include:
- Lead strategy development and execution for SEADS digital assets
- Create best practices to improve planning, budgeting, training, hiring, and staffing
- Help establish goals and guidelines for the software development lifecycle, e.g., continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD), code reviews, and testing that can support multi-million dollar research and analysis portfolios
- Review new modeling and tool development approaches for consistency with the overall SEADS digital strategy and to avoid duplication of efforts
- Guide, gather and present impact metrics across the data and tools landscape for SEADS
- Identify new business lines that support direct funding for software products
- Maintain compliance with NREL’s SQA procedure and software terms and conditions
- Coordinate computing and development resource needs such as access to VM/cloud/workstation resources, CI/CD infrastructure, wikis, task tracking software, databases, license fees, etc.
- Serve as primary liaison between research and NREL’s Information Technology Services (ITS) team, high-performance computing staff, and facilities staff
- Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in digital asset management to inform and guide SEADS’ strategy.
- Coordinate with NREL communications on external outreach of SEADS’ integrated suite of data and tools
Basic Qualifications
This role can be hired at a level V or VI.
Level V: Relevant PhD and 9 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 12 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 14 or more years of experience.
Level VI: Relevant PhD and 15 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 18 or more years of experience. Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 20 or more years of experience.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
Level V:
- Deep knowledge of advanced technical principles, theories, and concepts
- Contributes to the development of new principles and concepts
- Considered a subject matter expert in the area
- Demonstrates leadership in a number of areas, including all team, task and/or project lead responsibilities
- Demonstrated management of complex and/or impactful projects to include proficiency in project management
- Excellent technical writing, and written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal, communication skills, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills
Level VI:
- Exhibits an exceptional degree of ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness
- Proven experience developing highly advanced technologies, principles, theories, and concepts
- Considered a subject matter expert in the area
- Demonstrates leadership of complex technical projects
- Demonstrated management of complex and/or high-impact projects to include strong project management experience
- Outstanding technical writing and written communication skills
- Outstanding interpersonal, communication skills, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven experience in digital strategy development and virtual asset management, with track record of successful project execution
- Strong software domain expertise, with the ability to solve complex problems and provide expert guidance
- Broad understanding of SEADS’ strategic goals and key digital capabilities, with a strong grasp of business value and impact of existing digital assets
- Experience leading teams and managing coordinated software development efforts
- Proficiency with GitHub, pull requests, issue tracking, and version control best practices
- Strong understanding and experience with project management methodologies including waterfall, Agile, Kanban, and/or Scrum
- Experience in operations research, large-scale model development, and time domain simulation
- Ability to prepare professional communications that are appropriate for internal and external stakeholders
- Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles as they apply to digital assets
- Ability to obtain a DOE L or Q security clearance
- Local candidates preferred
Job Application Submission Window
The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
