Research Engineer Wind Energy ‒ Power Electronics & Grid Integration

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?

Be part of change

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 research associates 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.

You will be involved in various research and industry projects, with duties ranging from supporting the commissioning of a converter test bench to optimizing and expanding other test benches with a special focus on the "Power Hardware-in-the-loop (PHiL)" approach. While working with various real-time systems and setting up grid models to investigate transient events, you will develop test methods to generate measurement data for the validation of harmonic and EMT models. Additionally, you will design test and validation methods for the testing of grid-forming characteristics and implement the corresponding requirements in the grid emulator control (PHiL control). To present your results to the public, you will write scientific reports and publications.

You will take on project management tasks and, over time, also lead individual research and development projects. In addition, you will work on the test bench and support your team members in the preparation of a test campaign or the execution of a measurement campaign abroad with our mobile test system. Throughout all of these projects, you will be in close contact with national and international customers and project partners at all times.

What you contribute

You should have completed your diploma or master’s degree in the field of electrical engineering, power engineering, control engineering, mechatronics, or engineering management specializing in one of the subjects mentioned above. Do you have a basic understanding of electrical energy systems? Are you familiar with control engineering and grid modeling, at least in theory? Have you already come into contact with MATLAB and PSCAD? Perfect!

Understanding and working in research is not enough, you also want to put your results into words and present them? Great! Perhaps you have worked on test benches before and know the challenges that may arise. With us, you can directly apply your initial experience with software-in-the-loop (SIL), model-in-the-loop (MIL), or hardware-in-the-loop (HIL). But don’t worry if you don’t have all those skills just yet, you can also get your career off to a flying start with us. If you do already have experience, you can build upon it. Here at IWES, we operate on an international level – a good command of German and English will make your day-to-day work easier.

What we offer

We support you on your professional journey. Whether personally, professionally, or methodically, we find the right qualification measures for you. It is also possible to be responsible for your own doctorate here. We offer you our full support! Do you want to immerse yourself in additional fields and work independently to drive new topics forward? With us, you get to shape your range of duties actively!

Our open institute culture as well as mutual tolerance and respect ensure that every person feels comfortable with us from the start. We achieve this, for example, through our onboarding program for new employees as well as by raising awareness of and providing training on diversity and equal opportunity issues. We firmly believe that diversity is key to our success. Join us and experience this for yourself!

Our flextime and core time system allows you to plan your working day flexibly. In addition, you also have the option to work remotely. Not sure who can look after your children in an emergency? We help by offering emergency childcare. Interested in employee discounts for events, clothes, vacations, etc.? With us, you can select from a varied range of offers and easily take advantage of them for yourself via an app. For sustainable mobility, you can also benefit from the Deutschland-Ticket as a job ticket.

The position is limited to 3 years. The weekly working time is 39 hours. This position is also available on a part-time basis, preferably close to full-time.  Appointment, remuneration and social security benefits based on the public-sector collective wage agreement (TVöD). Additionally Fraunhofer may grant performance-based variable remuneration components.

We value and promote the diversity of our employees' skills and therefore welcome all applications – regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideology, disability, sexual orientation and identity. Severely disabled persons are given preference in the event of equal suitability.

Our tasks are diverse and adaptable – for applicants with disabilities, we work together to find solutions that best promote their abilities.

With its focus on developing key technologies that are vital for the future and enabling the commercial utilization of this work by business and industry, Fraunhofer plays a central role in the innovation process. As a pioneer and catalyst for groundbreaking developments and scientific excellence, Fraunhofer helps shape society now and in the future.

Ready for a change? Then 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.

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.

Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems

Requisition Number : 82961                Application Deadline : 02 / 11 / 2026