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Scientist I

Scientist I

  • JR10012413
  • Hybrid
  • Madison, Wisconsin
  • Research
  • Closing at: Jul 7 2026 - 11:00pm CDT
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Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Scientist I

Job Summary:

The Scientist will be working on research design, data collection, modeling, dissemination, and research coordination on building electrification and natural gas transitions as part of multiple projects. Specific tasks will include: (1) modeling the performance of building electrification approaches, including heat pumps and other home upgrades, across various criteria (e.g., cost, peak load shaving, emissions, etc.) and (2) modeling the benefits and costs of building electrification strategies at the household, neighborhood, and city scale, including the effects on energy bills for residential natural gas customers and performance of the natural gas distribution network. They will prepare high quality reports and journal articles on the results targeted to top scientific publications and collaborate with other researchers on building electrification projects across the lab. They will also assist in the preparation of reports and new grants related to these topics. This work requires an interdisciplinary environmental perspective appropriate for the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. 

50% - 100% FTE

Partial remote, fully remote optional based on mutually agreed upon agreement with supervisor 

Key Job Responsibilities:

  • Assists with the identification of research problems and the development of research methodologies and procedures
  • Collects and analyzes research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures under general supervision and limited responsibility
  • Attends and assists with the facilitation of scholarly events and presentations in support of continued professional development and the dissemination of research information
  • Writes or assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding
  • Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
  • Serves as a main point of contact and liaison with internal and external stakeholders providing information and representing the interests of a specialized research area

Department:

Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE)

Compensation:

Negotiable 

Required Qualifications:

• Doctoral training in applied optimization including designing and implementing mixed integer programming models related to sustainable infrastructure systems.

• Postdoctoral research experience in building energy modeling including modeling the operational costs and benefits of heat pumps and other heating technologies in residential buildings.

• Postdoctoral research experience in natural gas and geothermal networks including experience modeling the cost and performance of these systems under different scenarios.

• Experience working in a team environment and performing mixed quantitative and qualitative research, including conducting interviews with intermediaries (auditors and contractors).

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including excellent data visualization skills.

• Experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students on energy and decarbonization projects. 

Preferred Qualifications:

Education:

REQUIRED: PhD required in Chemical Engineering. 

How to Apply:

Candidates will be required to upload a cover letter describing their qualifications and related work experience and a resume/CV detailing educational and professional background. Candidates will also be presented with the option to manually enter Certifications, Education, Languages, and Website information. 

Contact Information:

Lili Gagliano, asu.hr@ohr.wisc.edu 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

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