Research Technician

Posting Title Research Technician . Location CO - Golden . Position Type Regular . Hours Per Week 40 . Working at NREL The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. From day one at NREL, you'll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you'll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes. NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves. Our planet needs us. Learn about NREL's critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet. Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role. Job Description The Energy System Integration Facility Research Operations group is seeking a Research Technician to join our Mechanical Technician Team. Under supervision of the Mechanical Team Lead, the individual in this role will support project set-up, assembly, connection, inspection, operation, and disconnection of mechanical research systems.The successful candidate will conduct monitoring of research and other systems, as well as perform maintenance and repair of systems when required. For more information about working in the Energy Systems Integration Facility at NREL check out this video At either level, this position requires the employee to develop and maintain positive working relationships with key cross-organizational support roles such as embedded EHS&Q (Environment, Health and Safety) staff, as well as Engineering Operations and Research Operations team members to ensure work is effectively coordinated and safety-and-operationally related NREL Work Planning & Control processes are properly implemented. They will support the Mechanical Technician Team Lead in the development of project schedules and maintain schedule accuracy by providing timely status updates, maintain excellent housekeeping, and demonstrate pride, good stewardship, and attention to detail in managing the area(s). The successful candidate will be amenable to performing other duties as assigned Basic Qualifications Level IV- High School Diploma or equivalent and 10 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Associate's Degree or certification program of comparable scope and 8 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Extensive knowledge in specialized focused support functions. A comprehensive acquaintance with and understanding of both general and detailed aspects of technical support activities, and their practical application to a wide variety of problems and situations specific to the discipline or field supported. Strong research techniques and practices. Strong communication, interpersonal, project management and customer relations skills. Level III- High School Diploma or equivalent and 7 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Associate's Degree or certification program of comparable scope and 5 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Full knowledge of specialized focused support functions. Complete acquaintance with and understanding of the general and detailed aspects of the supported activities, and their practical applications to problems and situations ordinarily encountered. Proficient in research techniques and practices. Solid communication, interpersonal, project management and customer relations skills. Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date. Additional Required Qualifications Highly organized, showing great attention to detail. Committed to workplace safety, safety of others and ensuring a clean and safe work environment. Proven ability to work and collaborate as part of a team, to deliver high-quality results. Demonstrated experience troubleshooting along with problem-solving skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience working with flammable gases and working in potentially hazardous operational work environments. Knowledge of compressed gas safety, compressed gas storage and compressed gas plumbing systems. Knowledge should include a wide range of operating pressures and connection methods. Previous high-pressure experience, >10,000 psi, would be an advantage. Demonstrate successfully supporting diverse customers in a research environment, managing customer relationships, communicating timelines, and confirming customer satisfaction. Experience working with standard workshop tooling including all hand tools, power tools, drills and drill presses, torque wrenches, measuring equipment, taps and dies, electrical test equipment etc. Ability to accurately operate fixed machine shop tooling: mill, lathe, and bandsaws. Welding experience; TIG, MIG, soldering, plastic fusion and/or orbital tube welding. Demonstrated experience fabricating custom research equipment, pumps and compressors, chillers and heaters, pressure system plumbing, hydraulics and pneumatics, equipment skids design and assembly etc. Ability to read and confidently understand Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), and to identify equipment in the field using drawings and equipment tags. Familiarity of the differences between, and experience working with pipe threads, straight threads, cone and thread, nut and ferrule (Swagelok), and flanged gasket connections. Confident pipe and/or tube fitter. Able to accurately plan, draw, install and test complex pipe and/or tube runs. Bend pipe and/or tube to given dimensions. Experience selecting and sizing fittings and equipment for gas and liquid flow systems; valves, gauges, filters, hoses, regulators, tubing etc. Understanding of the differences in materials of construction including strength, pressure rating, temperature ratings, chemical compatibility, and thermal conductivity. Have a good understanding of Lock Out Tag Out procedures and applications. Understand and identify the hazards associated with working with toxic and flammable gases. Understand and identify the hazards associated with working with voltages up to 1000V. Experience with planning, deploying, completing, and recording Planned Maintenance (PM) tasks. Have a good understanding of lifting, rigging and manual material handling. Trained on, and ability to confidently operate, forklifts, scissor lifts and/or boom lift . Job Application Submission Window The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed. Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week) Job Profile: Research Technician IV / Annual Salary Range: $63,600 - $104,900 Job Profile: Research Technician III / Annual Salary Range: $55,400 - $91,400 NREL 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 Summary Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short - and long-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; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement . NREL 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. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement. Based on eligibility rules Drug Free Workplace NREL 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 NREL, 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. Submission Guidelines Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL 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 EEO Policy NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer . click apply for full job details