The Post-Doctoral Research Associate will support and expand research activities in power system operation and planning, with special focus on data center integration in the CURENT Large-scale Test Bed (LTB). The candidate may also contribute to curriculum development in emerging areas of power and energy systems. The purpose of this position is to strengthen the department’s research capacity in addressing emerging electric grid challenges driven by rapid load growth, large-scale data centers, electrification, renewable resources, and advanced computational methods.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

(1) conduct and publish high-quality scholarly research

(2) teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in electrical engineering

(3) contribute to the development of research proposals and the pursuit of external funding

(4) mentor undergraduate and graduate students

(5) participate in departmental service and other academic activities as appropriate

Required Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field by the start date.

• Experience:

  • Demonstrated research experience in electric power systems, data centers, power system optimization, electricity markets, grid operation and planning, or a closely related area.

  • Experience developing and applying mathematical optimization models for power or energy system applications, such as economic dispatch, unit commitment, optimal power flow, transmission congestion analysis, renewable integration, or grid reliability and resilience.

  • Experience using programming and computational modeling tools to conduct research and analyze technical results.

  • Evidence of scholarly productivity, such as peer-reviewed journal papers, conference publications, technical reports, or research projects.

  • Demonstrated ability or potential to teach a power systems course at the undergraduate or graduate level.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Strong knowledge of power systems.

  • Knowledge of mathematical programming methods, including linear programming, mixed-integer programming, nonlinear programming, stochastic optimization, robust optimization, or related techniques.

  • Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB.

  • Ability to use optimization modeling tools and solvers, such as JuMP, Pyomo, YALMIP, Gurobi, CPLEX, or similar platforms.

  • Ability to conduct independent and collaborative research in a multidisciplinary environment.

  • Ability to prepare high-quality journal manuscripts, conference papers, technical reports, and research presentations.

  • Ability to contribute to proposal development and externally funded research activities.

  • Strong written and oral communication skills.

  • Ability to mentor graduate and undergraduate students involved in research projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in power systems, electricity markets, or a closely related field.

• Experience:

  • Research experience related to data center-grid interaction, large-scale load integration, or the grid impacts of emerging electricity demand.

  • Experience with power system operation and planning studies.

  • Strong publication record in power systems, electricity markets, data centers, optimization, or related areas.

  • Experience contributing to externally funded research proposals or collaborating with utilities, national laboratories, industry partners, government agencies, or interdisciplinary research teams.

  • Prior teaching experience or demonstrated ability to teach courses in power system analysis, electricity markets, or power system optimization.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Strong understanding of emerging power system challenges associated with rapid load growth, data centers, electrification, renewable energy integration, and grid flexibility.

  • Ability to develop innovative research directions at the intersection of power systems, data centers, and artificial intelligence.

  • Ability to translate research findings into peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, software tools, and practical recommendations.

  • Ability to develop instructional materials for power systems or closely related courses.

  • Ability to work effectively with faculty, students, research staff, industry partners, utilities, and national laboratories.

  • Strong organizational, analytical, programming, and communication skills.

  • Ability to support and mentor students in research involving power systems.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Hybrid

Compensation and Benefits

• Anticipated hiring range: $75,500

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume

• Cover letter

To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before 6/30/2026.

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct independent and collaborative research in data center integration, power systems optimization, electricity markets, and related areas.

• Develop mathematical models and computational tools for modern power system applications for the CURENT LTB.

• Submit manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

• Contribute to the development of research proposals for federal agencies, state agencies, national laboratories, utilities, industry partners, and other funding sources.

• Collaborate with faculty members, graduate students, research staff, industry partners, utilities, and national laboratories.

• Teach one course in power systems or a closely related area, such as power system analysis, electricity markets, or power system optimization.

• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students involved in power and energy systems research projects.

• Participate in departmental research activities, seminars, project meetings, and other service activities as appropriate for a research faculty position.