Research Engineer Wind Energy ‒ Electrical Grids & Grid Integration

About

At the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES, the energy transition becomes a reality every day. Our focus topics are: offshore wind energy, hydrogen, test infrastructure and digitization. More than 400 employees – including around 100 students – from over 50 countries work at nine locations in scientific and non‑scientific teams on the development of innovative methods to accelerate the expansion of the wind energy and hydrogen economy, minimize risks, and increase cost efficiency. Do you want to join us in shaping a sustainable future?

Team & Environment

You will join our “Power Electronics and Grid Integration” group at our site in Bremerhaven. Our work deals with the grid integration of wind turbines as well as wind farms and hybrid farms. At present, the team consists of five employees and several students. We support each other irrespective of our projects and backgrounds. A culture of open exchange and cooperation, even beyond team boundaries and sites, are particularly important to us.

Responsibilities

• Support the commissioning of a converter test bench.
• Optimize and expand other test benches with a special focus on the “Power Hardware‑in‑the‑loop (PHiL)” approach.
• Work with various real‑time systems and set up grid models.
• Develop test methods to generate measurement data for the validation of harmonic and EMT models.
• Write scientific reports and publications to present results to the public.
• Take on project management tasks and, over time, lead research and development projects.
• Work on the test bench and actively engage in the preparation of a test campaign.
• Maintain close contact with national and international customers and project partners throughout all projects.

Requirements

• Completed diploma or master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, Control Engineering, Mechatronics, or Engineering Management (specialising in one of the subjects mentioned above).
• Familiarity with control engineering and grid modelling (at least in theory).
• Basic understanding of electrical energy systems and power electronics.
• Experience with MATLAB and PSCAD.
• Ability to put research results into words and present them.
• Experience with test benches is a plus, but not mandatory.
• Good command of German and English for day‑to‑day work.

Benefits

• Professional development support (personal, professional, methodological qualification measures).
• Possibility to pursue a doctorate with full institute support.
• Opportunity to work independently on new topics and shape your range of duties.
• Open institute culture with mutual tolerance, respect, onboarding program, and diversity/equal‑opportunity training.
• Flextime and core‑time system for flexible working day planning.
• Option to work remotely.
• Emergency childcare support.
• Employee discounts for events, clothing, vacations, etc., accessible via an app.
• Deutschland‑Ticket as a job ticket for sustainable mobility.

Application Details

• Position limited to 3 years; weekly working time is 39 hours.
• Part‑time option available, preferably close to full‑time.
• Appointment, remuneration and social security benefits based on the public‑sector collective wage agreement (TVöD).
• Performance‑based variable remuneration components may be granted by Fraunhofer.
• Diversity‑friendly recruitment: all applications welcome regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideology, disability, sexual orientation and identity. Severely disabled persons are given preference in case of equal suitability.
• For applicants with disabilities, we work together to find solutions that best promote their abilities.
• Fraunhofer plays a central role in innovation, developing key technologies vital for the future and enabling commercial utilisation by business and industry.

If you would like to find out more information about IWES, our research aspects, and your future colleagues, please visit our career website: https://s.fhg.de/5ei

Ready for a change? Apply now and make a difference! Once we have received your online application, you will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt. We will then get back to you as soon as possible and let you know what happens next.

Contact

• Ms. Madeleine Graßmann – People & Development
• E‑mail: personal@iwes.fraunhofer.de
• Phone: +49 471 14 290‑230

Only online applications via the portal can be considered.

Please note that we observe the provisions of the valid General Data Protection Regulation when processing applications.

Additional Information

• Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems – www.iwes.fraunhofer.de
• Requisition Number: 82961
• Application Deadline: (not specified)