Energy Systems Research Associate

Purpose

The Indian power sector is undergoing a significant transformation. The increasing share of renewable energy, growing electrification of demand, and emerging technologies require robust planning, flexible grids, and reliable power system infrastructure. Ensuring a stable, resilient, and cost-effective power system will demand advanced planning models, dynamic regulations, new business models, and efficient system operations.

To address these challenges, the CEEW team undertakes transmission and distribution network studies to inform infrastructure planning, grid operations, and system strengthening measures. Our work includes power flow analyses, contingency assessments, hosting capacity evaluations, and techno-economic assessments of emerging solutions such as energy storage and grid support technologies. We also track and analyse market developments, including tariff trends and bidding outcomes for solar, wind, and battery storage projects, to inform evidence-based recommendations.

The candidate in this role will focus on power system modelling, covering both transmission and distribution networks. They will conduct quantitative analyses, develop and validate network models, and provide actionable insights to enable reliable integration of renewable energy. The candidate will work extensively with commercial power system analysis tools such as ETAP, and leverage CEEW’s internal data analytics platforms to deliver high-quality research outputs. Familiarity with renewable energy and battery energy storage bidding mechanisms will be an added advantage.

Job Duties and Accountabilities

Primary Responsibilities

• Carry out power system simulation studies for inter- and intra-state transmission networks, as well as distribution system studies, to identify infrastructure needs and assess the role of different supply- and demand-side resources including decentralized renewable energy and energy storage in achieving a clean, reliable and cost-effective power system.
• Design and simulate modelling scenarios for both transmission and distribution systems, capturing their respective operational challenges such as congestion, voltage management and frequency stability. Analyze model outputs to distill policy, regulatory and market design insights that enable grid-support services from distributed resources and inform effective system planning.
• Analyse data related to high renewable energy penetration (net load variability, transmission bottlenecks and losses, distribution-level hosting capacity, transmission outages / loss of load, flexibility requirements, and other grid management issues). Identify mitigation strategies in the form of technology solutions, regulatory and market enablers, and innovative procurement mechanisms, including those linked to storage and distributed generation.
• Coordinate with relevant departments and stakeholders to gather data, validate assumptions, and incorporate feedback, ensuring robust and credible modelling inputs as well as practical, implementable solutions.
• Continuously track policy, regulatory, and market developments in the power sector, and conduct rigorous literature reviews to identify emerging challenges and opportunities that warrant modelling and analysis.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of publicly available datasets (such as those from GRID-INDIA, RLDCs, CTU, CEA, SLDCs, and STUs) to identify data gaps, prioritise research questions, and structure analyses in a systematic manner.
• Produce high-quality research reports, policy briefs, blogs, and presentations, and effectively communicate findings and recommendations during stakeholder consultations and engagements.

Stakeholder engagement

Selection Criteria

Qualification

Work experience

candidates with strong research skills but with lesser experience may also be considered

Key skills

If you want to shape the future of power markets in India, this is the place for you!

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks.

Compensation

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organisations for similar roles.

Application Process

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer and the selection process does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are advised to apply at the earliest possible.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified by us. We appreciate your interest.