Transportation Research Scientist, Career Track

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is hiring a Transportation Research Scientist within the Energy Analysis division. You will support various passenger and freight transportation system modeling and analysis projects to identify and quantify energy, environment, and mobility implications from changes to the transportation system using interdisciplinary methods that combine engineering, economics, human behavior, technology, and computer science.

• Creatively develop new methods to understand the behavior of complex socio-technical systems given substantial uncertainty and limited data.
• Apply advanced principles, theories, and concepts to contribute to research concepts and projects from funders such as the U.S. DOE Vehicle Technologies Office and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, in coordination with other national lab researchers.
• Lead more junior technical modelers in the development and implementation of agent-based transportation system models.
• Design, develop and improve transportation system models for DOE-VTO and other agencies, including agent-based models and microscopic or macroscopic transportation system and network models.
• Collaborate closely with other researchers in ETA who work in areas that connect to transportation, including the electricity grid, energy storage, and building and urban science.
• Develop methods to assess the energy, economic, and environmental benefits and costs of large‑scale transportation electrification or system design changes in the U.S.
• Develop transportation system models into public‑facing software packages for broad research use.
• Conduct data collection, cleaning, quality assurance, analysis, and model validation activities.
• Develop and manage collaborations with researchers working on Transportation Systems at UC Berkeley, other national laboratories, and in the international research community.
• Assist the PI in, and eventually act as PI in, developing grant proposals in the areas of integrated transportation modeling and simulation, travel behavior analysis, freight and supply chain efficiency and management, emissions modeling, and electrified transportation.
• Write reports and journal articles and present research work to scientific audiences and the general public.
• Participate in reporting to funders and present results to key stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with industry and academic partners involved in projects.
• Proactively engage in discussions with other research groups to gather data and insights necessary to complete interdisciplinary research.
• Keep and maintain accurate and detailed records of all research performed.

• Advanced degree in engineering, science, or economics discipline with a strong quantitative focus or equivalent education and experience.
• At least two years of relevant professional work beyond the highest degree.
• Demonstrated publication record or papers currently under review.
• Ability to work independently and interact effectively with a broad range of colleagues in a dynamic environment.
• Flexible, approachable and able to prioritize and manage multiple cross‑functional projects.
• Ability to analyze and develop new computational algorithms for scientific applications.
• Experience handling large datasets and ensuring data quality.
• Proficiency with MS Office and strong skills in at least one programming language (C/C++, Python, R).
• Familiarity with geospatial information systems (GIS).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must adhere to all Berkeley Lab and EH&S safety policies.

• Ph.D. in engineering, science, or economics discipline with a strong quantitative focus.
• Strong experience in conducting research in energy systems, transportation systems, emissions and/or air quality modeling.
• At least 2 years of postdoctoral experience in energy systems, transportation systems, emissions and/or air quality field.
• Develop skills in key software packages and work to build models that link tools together for improved automation.

Names and contact information for at least three individuals who can write letters of reference.