Research Engineer - Smart Energy Services and Regulatory Innovation

Job Description

Tyndall National Institute is an international leader in semiconductors, photonics and deep-tech research and innovation. As a leading collaborative European research institute, Tyndall is a key actor and hosting partner in the delivery of the 'Chips for Europe Initiative' (EU Chips Act).

Tyndall is Ireland's leading research and innovation organisation and it is the national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training at the convergence of nanotechnology, microelectronics, photonics, electronics and AI. Tyndall is recognised as an international research leader in semiconductor, chip and digital technologies, particularly as applied to the fields of Information & Communications, Health & Life Sciences, Agritech & Food Security, Energy and Climate Mitigation, emerging fields such as quantum, and novel computing paradigms.

The Institute's key objective is to see frontier research activities having a significant impact on economic development and societal challenges in Ireland, Europe and beyond. Central to Tyndall's mission is delivering economic impact through research excellence in partnership with industry and academia. With an annual turnover of more than ???50m, the Institute has a community of over 600 researchers, engineers, support staff, postgraduate students, interns and industry researchers-in-residence.

With significant committed Irish government support, Tyndall will grow to be 1,000 people by 2030, with approximately 750 researchers, including 250 PhD students. A new 17,000 m2 research building is under development adjacent to the Cork headquarters and there are developing plans to expand Tyndall's existing Dublin research labs and to establish other research sites within Ireland.

Tyndall's expansion is also supported by recent national and EU funding wins for significant (M???10's) additional research equipment across a range of areas such as semiconductor processing, microscopy, quantum technologies, heterogeneous integration, ultra-high speed optical communications and RF through THz characterisation.

About the Team

The Smart Energy Services and Regulatory Innovation (SESRI) Team at the International Energy Research Centre focuses on advancing innovative energy services, business models, and regulatory approaches across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Its work emphasises energy efficiency, sustainability, and the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries.

Research conducted by this Team centres on the analysis, development, and validation of smart energy services that integrate technological solutions with viable business models. These services aim to improve energy efficiency, optimise energy management, and enable cost-effective energy supply and demand-side management, while accounting for market conditions and user behaviour.

The Team's activities span a broad range of areas, including the analysis, design, and validation of energy efficiency measures; modelling of energy supply and storage systems; the development of energy management methodologies; and energy policy analysis, along with recommendations to inform new policy development. The Team also develops, demonstrates, and validates innovative business models, contractual frameworks, and policy studies to assess and enhance the performance of energy services and emerging technologies (such as those related to renewable hydrogen), and to accelerate their adoption across sectors.

About the Role

The Research Engineer for the SESRI team will lead research tasks in European and National projects. The appointee will be expected to work in collaboration with the other teams within IERC in the following research areas:

• Energy Performance Contracting
• Energy Efficiency in Residential, Commercial and Industry Sectors
• Energy Auditing and Recommendation of Energy Efficiency Measures
• Energy Efficiency as a service
• Energy policy and regulatory innovations
• Green hydrogen economy

The SESRI team already has a number of high-profile research projects including AUDIT+ (Energy efficiency and decarbonisation of energy intensive industries) and EasyPro (Energy Performance Contracting at Irish Universities) which are funded by the EU LIFE research funding programme, and Polinreb (Policy innovation to solve the split-incentive issue in multi-sectoral rented buildings), funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The Research Engineer will report to the SESRI Team Lead.

Applications welcome from researchers with strong & distinctive ideas for new ideas and concepts.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform as individual contributor in research projects within the SESRI team
• Contribute to the vision and direction for smart energy services and energy policy research in IERC
• Contribute to the bid and proposal writing for competitive funding streams
• Lead tasks in collaborative projects that deliver high-quality outcomes to meet industry requirements
• Collaborate with the external partners through project milestones, ensuring timely delivery of project deliverables and reports
• Participate in Education and Public Engagement activities.
• Ensure compliance with Tyndall's Quality Management Systems, Health and Safety standards, and other regulations.
• To carry out any additional duties that may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Essential Criteria

• A Master's degree or equivalent in energy engineering or other relevant discipline
• Strong demonstrable experience in at least 2 of the following: energy auditing, energy efficiency, building energy performance, energy performance contracting, energy services, energy policy, building services engineering, energy communities, stakeholder engagement
• Strong interest and willingness to work in industrial energy auditing and energy efficiency measures
• Strong interest and willingness to work on energy performance contracting
• Strong interest and willingness to work on energy policy, business models for energy efficiency and contractual templates
• Demonstrated ability to work independently to a tight schedule
• Excellent communication, organisation and interpersonal skills
• Typically with one year experience of working in research environment or PhD (or equivalent) in energy engineering or other relevant discipline, and experience of working/managing H2020, LIFE or Horizon Europe projects.

Desirable Criteria

• Demonstrated data and statistical skills.
• Highly self-motivated and able to demonstrate initiative
• Previous experience in managing and supervising postgraduate students
• Experience in any of the following areas would be beneficial: carrying out energy audits and recommending energy saving measures; persuading SMEs to implement energy saving measures; designing and conducting surveys and focus groups with a range of stakeholders; planning, organising and running workshops, training courses, webinars and other events.
• Evidence of professional experience working with industry and demonstrating an understanding of industry needs
• Previous experience of report writing for European funded projects

What We Offer

Apart from offering a position in a very successful and positive research environment, with a collaborative ethos full of diverse competencies to boost your career, we offer the following:

• Impactful Work: Opportunities to contribute to ground-breaking research and innovation that shape Ireland's economy and the society at large.
• Continuous Learning: Strong support for formal training, further study and professional development.
• Interdisciplinary Environment: Where academia, industry, and innovation intersect - supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and expert knowledge.
• Blended Working: Flexibility to work remotely and on-site, where the role allows.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Access to UCC pension, long-term illness benefit, life assurance, and more.
• Generous Leave: Competitive annual leave entitlements.
• Equity & Inclusion: Athena Swan Bronze award holder, with ongoing initiatives led by a dedicated People and Culture team to ensure equity for all.
• Core Values: A culture grounded in Ambition, Collaboration, Diversity, Excellence, and Integrity.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: A proactive, innovation-driven environment that welcomes entrepreneurial and creative thinkers, including those with start-up experience.
• Supportive Onboarding: Structured induction and mentoring to help new hires integrate and thrive.
• Vibrant Culture: A collaborative, people-first workplace with a strong sense of community.

Terms of Employment

Contract Category: Full-Time
Contract Type: Fixed Term

Appointment may be made on the Grade Senior Executive Assistant/Executive Officer Point 1 Scale B (new entrants) salary ??? 40,327 - ???55,667 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with the public sector pay policy.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Dr. Luciano De Tommasi