Electrical Engineer - Hydropower and Industrial Controls

at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Topeka, Kansas, United States

Job Description

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 Controls Engineer to support research, development, and deployment activities focused on hydropower and pumped storage technologies. This position supports projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetics Office, Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal and state stakeholders. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with engineers, scientists, project managers, and external partners to address technical and operational challenges associated with electrical and industrial control systems for critical utilities.

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 industrial control systems (ICS), including PLCs, turbine governors, and plant-level automation, to identify opportunities for improved performance, reliability, and resilience.

+ Develop engineering-focused modernization roadmaps for aging control systems, defining technical requirements for hardware lifecycle, secure protocol transitions (e.g., Modbus to DNP3), and system hardening.

+ Serve as the control systems subject matter expert, providing critical guidance to ensure that new technologies and modern security architectures are compatible with the physical process, safety logic, and real-time requirements of the ICS.

+ 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 disrupting plant operations.

+ 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 the preparation of competitive research proposals and strategic project planning activities aligned with sponsor priorities and national energy objectives.

+ Manage or support research project execution, including coordination of technical activities, schedules, deliverables, and stakeholder communications.

+ Provide oversight and technical coordination for subcontractors and research partners supporting project activities and deliverables.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

+ BS/BA and 5+ years of relevant experience OR

+ MS/MA and 3+ years of relevant experience OR

+ PhD with 1+ year of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications:

+ Preferred degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or a related field.

+ Core Control Systems Expertise: Deep, hands-on expertise in the design, operation, and maintenance of Industrial Control Systems (ICS). This includes programming and troubleshooting PLCs, DCS, and HMIs from major vendors (e.g., Rockwell, Siemens, Schneider Electric).

+ Field & Stakeholder Effectiveness: Demonstrated ability to work effectively in the field with crews, vendors, sponsors, and customers during system assessment, deployment, and troubleshooting.

+ Industry & Protocol Knowledge: Direct experience in the hydropower, utility, or power generation industries, with strong, practical knowledge of OT communication protocols (e.g., DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850).

+ Aptitude for Cybersecurity: A strong aptitude and willingness to partner with cybersecurity experts is key. Direct cyber expertise is not a prerequisite, but a desire to learn and apply new security concepts is essential.

+ Communication & Teamwork: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proactive and collaborative approach to problem-solving on interdisciplinary teams.

+ A Professional Engineer (PE) license is valued, but less common in this field and not expected.

+ Formal project management experience or certification is beneficial but not required.

+ Experience with data-oriented programming/scripting languages (e.g., Python, R) is considered a plus.

Hazardous Working Conditions/Environment

Some travel (for fieldwork, scientific conferences, and client networking) may be necessary depending on evolving project/programmatic needs and candidate interest.

Additional Information

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.

A security clearance background investigation includes review of your employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with you and your personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines your foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

Requirements:

+ U.S. Citizenship

+ Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.

+ Drug Testing: All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).

Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs,