Join National Laboratory of the Rockies in Boulder as a Postdoctoral Researcher focusing on acoustics of industrial equipment in energy. This role involves experimental and numerical work on cooling systems, fuel cells, and wind turbines. Benefit from a collaborative environment, travel opportunities, and comprehensive health and pension plans.
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Postdoctoral Researcher - Acoustics of Industrial Equipment in the Energy Sector (Cooling Systems, Fuel Cells, Distributed Wind Turbines).
CO - Boulder.
Postdoc (Fixed Term).
The Flatirons Campus of the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is seeking a qualified candidate to help execute projects on the acoustic emissions of industrial equipment in the energy sector, including cooling systems, fuel cells, and distributed wind turbines. This is a postdoctoral position combining experimental and numerical work.
Experimental activities consist of deploying an existing array of microphones covering the audible and low-frequency ranges at various distances and radial distributions. The first field deployments will happen on site; later deployments may require travel. Once data is collected, the candidate is expected to post-process and analyze it, draw takeaways, and inform future campaigns. Numerical work consists of implementing existing emission and propagation models and developing next-generation ones. The candidate will focus on validating these models against measurements and on investigating and proposing design changes toward quieter energy systems.
The postdoc will work with a wide variety of customers, including the U.S. Department of Energy Integrated Energy Systems Office, the Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks Office, and the Office of Policy. Over time, the postdoc will also collaborate with other national laboratories, industry and academic partners, and the international community to execute projects and promote the energy industry. The postdoc is expected to demonstrate a broad understanding of engineering principles and general knowledge of energy-related disciplines, applications, and challenges.
The postdoc will be expected to publish research results in technical journals/conference proceedings and present work at conferences, symposia, and review meetings. They will also be expected to support project proposal preparation and reviews.
The period of performance is anticipated to be one-year with the opportunity to extend for up to three years.
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Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
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Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400NLR takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.* Based on eligibility rules
NLR 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 required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.# Drug Free Workplace
NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.
If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.
Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.
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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
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National Laboratory of the Rockies, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory
HeadquartersGolden, CO, United States
Founded1977
SizeApproximately 3,700 employees including staff, postdoctoral researchers, interns, visiting professionals, and subcontractors (source: wikipedia.org)
The National Laboratory of the Rockies is a federally funded research institution focused on applied energy research and development across the entire energy system, including generation, distribution, and end use (source: nlr.gov). Its work spans a broad range of energy technologies such as solar, wind, renewable fuels, vehicle systems, buildings, geothermal, energy sciences, computational sciences, and energy analysis (source: nationallabs.org). The laboratory also hosts specialized centers including the National Center for Photovoltaics, the National Bioenergy Center, and the National Wind Technology Center, which support focused research and innovation in their respective fields (source: wikipedia.org). As a Department of Energy national laboratory, it operates under a federal contract and serves public-sector and industry partners by developing technology and de-risking emerging energy systems (source: nlr.gov).
The laboratory has a rich history of impactful projects, including the development of SEA-Stack, a wave-energy technology screening and design tool that helps companies rapidly evaluate concepts to reduce time and cost in marine energy innovation (source: nlr.gov). It also supports the BOTTLE Consortium's chemical oxidation recycling platform, which aims to enable scalable processing of contaminated, mixed, and multilayer plastic waste, addressing critical challenges in sustainable materials management (source: nlr.gov). The National Laboratory of the Rockies operates the National Wind Technology Center in Colorado, a key facility for advancing wind energy technologies, and maintains a presence in Washington, D.C. to support policy and stakeholder engagement (source: nlr.gov). These projects demonstrate the lab's leadership in renewable energy research and its commitment to accelerating clean energy solutions nationwide.
In December 2025, the Department of Energy officially renamed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to the National Laboratory of the Rockies, reflecting its evolving mission and regional identity (source: nlr.gov). Throughout 2025 and 2026, the laboratory remained active in advanced energy research, with announcements highlighting progress in marine and wave energy technologies, plastic recycling innovations, and quantum-related materials research (source: nlr.gov). However, the lab also underwent workforce reductions, laying off 134 employees in February 2026 following earlier cuts of at least 114 employees in May 2025, reflecting organizational adjustments amid evolving funding and program priorities (source: cpr.org).
The National Laboratory of the Rockies offers a diverse range of roles spanning research, software and computational science, lab operations, engineering, project management, communications, and administrative support, all within a federally funded R&D environment (source: techjobsforgood.com). Employees benefit from comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, 403(b) retirement savings plans with employer match, pension eligibility, disability coverage, tuition reimbursement, and professional development opportunities (source: nlr.gov). The campus in Golden, Colorado, provides on-site wellness resources, including a fitness center, cafeteria, coffee shop, meeting spaces, and open-space trails, fostering a collaborative and flexible workplace culture that supports early-career development and work-life balance (source: nlr.gov).
