Postdoc Research Associate Jobs in Oak Ridge, TN

Requisition Id 16736 

Overview:

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will work with a multi-disciplinary group of experts in economics, engineering, software development, and building energy modeling on the economic and policy aspects of residential building retrofitting. The candidate will support econometric evaluation of the WAP implementation expectations and results. To accomplish the task, the candidate will work directly with WAP and software experts to identify, gather, curate, and analyze novel datasets not previously available to researchers.

This position resides in the Integrated Building Deployment and Analysis group in the Buildings Materials & System Integration Section, Building and Transportation Science Division, Energy Science and Technology Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Interacting with a team of experts at ORNL on projects evaluating the U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program and its efficacy in delivering the intended residential energy cost and other household direct benefits.
• Data collection, processing/curation, and analysis.
• Development and implementation of econometric analysis (e.g., difference-in-differences).
• Contributions to reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Collaborate with ORNL scientists involved in these efforts, to gain expertise in the economic analysis of energy program delivery relevant to the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Energy Economics or related Applied Economics discipline with a strong quantitative focus.
• Demonstrable knowledge of applied econometrics and statistical evaluation methods, such as:
  • Difference-in-Differences (DiD)
  • Fixed-effects panel models
  • Matching methods (PSM, CEM, nearest-neighbor)
  • Regression-based normalization
  • Longitudinal and cross-sectional data analysis.

• Experience working with large administrative or program datasets.
• Proficiency in statistical programming and data analysis tools:
  • R, Python, Stata, or SAS
  • SQL/database management preferred.
• Ability to clean, harmonize, and analyze complex datasets from multiple sources.
• Experience developing reproducible analytical workflows and documentation.
• Demonstrable specialized communication skills:
  • Proficient technical and scientific writing
  • Publication record in peer-reviewed journals or technical reports
• Ability to present findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work independently and interact with a multi-disciplinary group.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with federal data governance, privacy protection, and anonymization practices.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, state agencies, utilities, or national laboratories.
• Experience with policy evaluation and analysis using economic models.
• Experience with visualization and interactive application development in R and Python.
• Author or co-author of peer-reviewed literature publications.

Special Requirements:

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to Postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required.  Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation.  This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year.  This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment.  Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment. 

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.