Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Jobs and Employment”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Intersections of Disadvantaged Communities and Renewable Energy Potential: Data Set and Analysis to Inform Equitable Investment Prioritization in the United States

Renewable energy development can bolster local economies through job creation, local tax revenues, and reduced energy costs; however, communities most in need of economic development and employment opportunities often see lower levels of renewable energy deployment. We sought to identify areas where disadvantaged community indicators and high generation potential from cost-effective renewable energy opportunities intersect and deployment could lead to economic development and job creation. This presentation will highlight several of our findings. This research and the associated county-level data set are intended to inform national- and state-level energy-related assistance programs, economic development efforts, and infrastructure programs seeking to prioritize investments in disadvantaged communities.

community energy planning↗
DOE OSTI2025

Key insights from US Department of Energy Better Plants workforce development bootcamps (2022–2025)

This study examines the effectiveness of the US Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program Bootcamps, which are designed to enhance participants’ technical skills in improving energy efficiency and optimizing operations in manufacturing facilities. Through the analysis of survey data collected from 529 participants across 9 bootcamps, the research investigates the motivations, benefits, and demographic trends of attendees. The findings reveal that skill acquisition and improvement are primary drivers for participation, with key benefits including hands-on training on diagnostic equipment and software tools, networking opportunities, and access to technical resources. The analysis shows strong participation from sectors characterized by high energy consumption and employment, such as chemical and transportation equipment manufacturing. Over 50% of participants have job titles that include “EHS” or “Energy” showing their key roles in leading energy efficiency and energy management efforts in manufacturing. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the distribution of participants across managerial, engineering, and technical roles, revealing a higher representation of managers and engineers. This observation suggests a need for targeted outreach to engage technicians, equipment operators, maintenance staff, and floor workers to ensure comprehensive workforce development. The post-bootcamp survey showed that the participants highly valued the opportunities for peer learning and idea exchange, and the benefits they gained from them. This research contributes to the advancement of manufacturing education by demonstrating the efficacy of specialized training in addressing critical industry challenges and fostering a more competent and empowered workforce.

Energy efficiency↗
NASA NTRS2009

Web-Based Programs Assess Cognitive Fitness

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, based in Houston and funded by NASA, began funding research for Harvard University researchers to design Palm software to help astronauts monitor and assess their cognitive functioning. The MiniCog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB) was licensed by the Criteria Corporation in Los Angeles and adapted for Web-based employment testing. The test battery assesses nine different cognitive functions and can gauge the effect of stress-related deficits, such as fatigue, on various tasks. The MRAB can be used not only for pre-employment testing but also for repeat administrations to measure day-to-day job readiness in professions where alertness is critical.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2023

Equitable Employment Access Assessed Through the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) Metric

This paper examines commuting options for an underserved neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio to a major employment center. The analysis is based on an emerging metric called the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on behalf the Department of Energy (DOE). The purpose of the analysis is twofold. The first is to quantify relative attractiveness of commute modes between the two locations, using a perspective that includes travel time, energy and cost, while providing an equity lens to compare commute options between privately owned vehicles and pooled transportation options. The second objective is to apply MEP in a specific origin-destination (O-D) scenario, whereas previously it has been used primarily as an aggregate metropolitan-wide statistical measure. In so doing, parameters in MEP are further customized and the methodology is refined to account for unique aspects of this case study. Four commute options between the neighborhood and the industry employment based are analyzed: drive alone option, public transit express bus (historical), public transit normal route (current), and a proposed shuttle specific to the O-D pair. This analysis identified issues applying MEP that required further customization: (1) deprecation functions customized to modes other than driving, (2) accounting for first-mile last-mile travel times with transit, (3) accounting for transit frequency without resorting to full simulation. The results provide quantitative insights on the employment accessibility between these two locations, both across modes, and as equity of job accessibility for those who can and cannot operate a personal vehicle.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Exploring Careers in the Solar Industry 2023 Webinar

The experiences gained through military service make veterans exceptional job candidates for a wide range of solar careers. In this webinar, three solar employers explain how they support military-connect talent and what types of opportunities they offer veterans and military spouses.

Davit, MaryAnn↗
DOE OSTI2024

National Wind Energy Workforce Assessment: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Needs

The wind workforce gap is defined as the disconnect between employers having difficulty finding qualified candidates while potential wind energy workers report having difficulty finding jobs and educational institutions having difficulty placing students in industry. For this assessment, a system dynamics model - informed by a survey effort completed in 2022 and other anecdotal research - was created to better understand potential scenarios and actions that could be used to help close the workforce gap. The survey was conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in collaboration with BW Research Partnership, to understand the perspective of wind industry firms, wind educators, current wind energy industry employees, and current renewable energy students on the workforce pathways into the wind industry. The information gathered through the survey effort was used to help develop workforce estimation scenarios, gain insight into why the workforce gap exists, and evaluate areas of opportunity to reduce barriers of entry into the wind energy industry.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Impact of Trust on Organization Commitment

As the global economy continues to spawn competitive forces, organizations have sought to become more competitive by cutting costs, eliminating non-value added work, and using more automation. Jobs have become broader and more flexible leading to a leaner workforce with higher-level knowledge and skills and more responsibility for day-to-day decisions. More than ever, organizations depend on employees as the innovators and designers of products and processes and as a source of strategic advantage. Therefore employee commitment among knowledge workers is needed to maintain organizational viability. It would seem that stronger relationships due to greater dependency, involvement, and investment would develop between employers and high-technology workers resulting in more committed employees. However, the opposite has been evidenced as key knowledge workers are changing jobs frequently. This may be due to a perceived lack of commitment by management to its employees. The notion of exchange may dominate the development of organizational commitment whereby an individual decides what to give a firm (commitment, extra effort, better performance, etc.) based on what the firm gives them (e.g., trust and security). It is the relationship between an employee's organizational commitment and the responding level of trust in the organization that is examined in this paper. An experiment is described that will seek to identify this relationship. Preliminary results are expected to show a positive relationship whereby employee commitment is positively correlated with organizational trust.

Robinson, Kimberly↗
DOE OSTI2022

Intersections of Disadvantaged Communities and Renewable Energy Potential: Analyses to Inform Equitable Investment Prioritization

Renewable energy development can bolster local economies through job creation, local tax revenues, and reduced energy costs; however, communities most in need of economic development and employment opportunities often see lower levels of renewable energy deployment. We sought to identify areas where indicators of disadvantaged communities intersect with high generation potential from cost- effective renewable energy opportunities. This presentation highlights the geospatial intersection of the technical potential and levelized cost of energy for three renewable technologies (residential solar, utility solar, and land-based wind) and three sociodemographic metrics (energy burden, unemployment, and employment in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction). This research and the associated county-level data set are intended to inform national- and state-level energy-related assistance programs, economic development efforts, and infrastructure programs seeking to prioritize investments in disadvantaged communities.

disadvantaged communities↗
DOE OSTI2024

Is Clean Hydrogen Production a Good Fit for Questa? (Final Economic Impact Results) [Slides]

The Village of Questa, New Mexico is aiming to become a regional clean energy hub with robust and diverse employment opportunities for the local community supported by the energy sector and by other businesses inspired or attracted by abundant clean energy, outdoor recreation, and cultural opportunities. A coalition of stakeholders in the Village of Questa, comprising the Village, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), Questa Economic Development Fund, and Chevron, is exploring options to develop hydrogen production facilities as an opportunity to create jobs, provide reliable clean energy, and utilize former mine resources. Questa is home to a molybdenum mine owned by Chevron that closed in 2014. Several residents in Questa and surrounding communities lost their jobs when the mine closed and transitioned from active operations into environmental remediation. Although remediation efforts have been ongoing since 2014 and are expected to continue for at least 16 more years, the number of jobs with Chevron is much smaller now than it was before the closure. Between available workforce, brownfield land, and water rights formerly supporting mine operations but now in a transition period, there are considerable local resources that could be directed toward clean energy generation. Questa's electricity supply is already 100% solar during daylight hours thanks to Kit Carson Electric Cooperative's (KCEC's) strategic decision-making and partnering over the last decade. Now, Questa, KCEC, and Chevron are exploring the potential costs and benefits of siting an electrolytic hydrogen production facility and additional solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Questa to further advance the region's clean energy economy. In this report, we estimated the potential economic impacts (i.e., jobs, value added, gross output, tax revenue) of constructing and operating a combined hydrogen (32 MW polymer electrolyte membrane electrolizer + 7.5 MW fuel cell) and solar facility (22.5 MW) in the Village of Questa, as well as the resulting economic spillovers to Taos County and the state of New Mexico. We employ an input-output model that leverages IMPLAN's economic data for the region complemented by construction and operating expenses estimated by NREL and feedback from the local coalition to evaluate the direct, indirect and induced effects of the project construction (transient impacts) and operation (more permanent impacts). Based on the area's average trade profile, feedback from the coalition and current market conditions, these projects are expected to support 487 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, generating $\$24$ million in income for those workers and $\$82$ million in local economic activity in the state. Of those jobs, 106 are expected to be construction sector jobs. These investments are also estimated to add $\$36.5$ million to New Mexico's gross state product (GSP). In the Village of Questa, we estimate 16 jobs will be supported in construction and transportation industries, generating $\$0.9$ million in earnings. In Taos County, the construction phase is expected to support 285 jobs primarily in construction and professional services, while manufacturing jobs dominate the results for the Rest of New Mexico. The Village is also estimated to receive $\$0.9$ million in tax revenue from the construction phase alone. Once in operation, the project continues to impact the state and Questa. Around 20 jobs (full-time equivalent for each year of operation) are supported across New Mexico, with approximately 11 directly employed in Questa by both facilities. The total annual local economic activity supported by ongoing operations is just over $\$1.3$ million/yr, generating $\$1.6$ million/yr in additional income in the state. Annual operations are estimated to add $\$2.1$ million to the state's GSP. The Village is expected to receive around $\$43,000$/yr in tax revenue. Impacts vary significantly depending on which businesses are supplying materials, equipment and services, and where construction workers reside. Choosing local suppliers will most benefit Questa and the New Mexico economy, adding up to 500 jobs during construction and 13 long-term jobs. Local and state governments may consider ways to incentivize local businesses in order to maximize economic benefits.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Is Clean Hydrogen Production a Good Fit for Questa? Final Economic Impact Results

The Village of Questa, New Mexico is aiming to become a regional clean energy hub with robust and diverse employment opportunities for the local community supported by the energy sector and by other businesses inspired or attracted by abundant clean energy, outdoor recreation, and cultural opportunities. A coalition of stakeholders in the Village of Questa, comprising the Village, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), Questa Economic Development Fund, and Chevron, is exploring options to develop hydrogen production facilities as an opportunity to create jobs, provide reliable clean energy, and utilize former mine resources. Questa is home to a molybdenum mine owned by Chevron that closed in 2014. Several residents in Questa and surrounding communities lost their jobs when the mine closed and transitioned from active operations into environmental remediation. Although remediation efforts have been ongoing since 2014 and are expected to continue for at least 16 more years, the number of jobs with Chevron is much smaller now than it was before the closure. Between available workforce, brownfield land, and water rights formerly supporting mine operations but now in a transition period, there are considerable local resources that could be directed toward clean energy generation. Questa's electricity supply is already 100% solar during daylight hours thanks to Kit Carson Electric Cooperative's (KCEC's) strategic decision-making and partnering over the last decade. Now, Questa, KCEC, and Chevron are exploring the potential costs and benefits of siting an electrolytic hydrogen production facility and additional solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Questa to further advance the region's clean energy economy. In this report, we estimated the potential economic impacts (i.e., jobs, value added, gross output, tax revenue) of constructing and operating a combined hydrogen (32 MW polymer electrolyte membrane electrolizer + 7.5 MW fuel cell) and solar facility (22.5 MW) in the Village of Questa, as well as the resulting economic spillovers to Taos County and the state of New Mexico. We employ an input-output model that leverages IMPLAN's economic data for the region complemented by construction and operating expenses estimated by NREL and feedback from the local coalition to evaluate the direct, indirect and induced effects of the project construction (transient impacts) and operation (more permanent impacts). Based on the area's average trade profile, feedback from the coalition and current market conditions, these projects are expected to support 487 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, generating $\$24$ million in income for those workers and $\$82$ million in local economic activity in the state. Of those jobs, 106 are expected to be construction sector jobs. These investments are also estimated to add $\$36.5$ million to New Mexico's gross state product (GSP). In the Village of Questa, we estimate 16 jobs will be supported in construction and transportation industries, generating $\$0.9$ million in earnings. In Taos County, the construction phase is expected to support 285 jobs primarily in construction and professional services, while manufacturing jobs dominate the results for the Rest of New Mexico. The Village is also estimated to receive $\$0.9$ million in tax revenue from the construction phase alone. Once in operation, the project continues to impact the state and Questa. Around 20 jobs (full-time equivalent for each year of operation) are supported across New Mexico, with approximately 11 directly employed in Questa by both facilities. The total annual local economic activity supported by ongoing operations is just over $\$1.3$ million/yr, generating $\$1.6$ million/yr in additional income in the state. Annual operations are estimated to add $\$2.1$ million to the state's GSP. The Village is expected to receive around $\$43,000$/yr in tax revenue. Impacts vary significantly depending on which businesses are supplying materials, equipment and services, and where construction workers reside. Choosing local suppliers will most benefit Questa and the New Mexico economy, adding up to 500 jobs during construction and 13 long-term jobs. Local and state governments may consider ways to incentivize local businesses in order to maximize economic benefits.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Addressing Skilled Worker Shortages with Registered Apprenticeships

This poster will provider the learner with information about the US apprenticeship system, the benefits of registered apprenticeships to employers and their workers, and how to go about starting an apprenticeship program to train workers in a wide variety of job roles in the solar industry.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Safer Foundation Solar Demands Skill Collaborative

The milestones and accomplishments achieved in Safer’s Solar Demands Skill Training program required a collective effort of stakeholders. The ability to achieve the desired results and impact lives of the population we serve works best when collaborating with community stakeholders such as community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, community activists, local law enforcement, community residents, employers, and elected and appointed officials. We are working harder than ever to place clients in-demand careers and high-growth industry sectors. Our employer engagement with high growth sectors continues to increase, we have been able to deepen our relationships in this space by providing in demand stackable credential training. Launched our initiative in the green job space by partnering with organizations like ComEd, the Department of Energy, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and manufacturers that helped to train clients in the green jobs and renewable energy space. By the end of the year, we will have completed our tenth cohort of photovoltaic solar installation training. The training has been used as a foundation for solar panel installers to acquire new skills in in the green jobs career pathways, such as sales and customer service. It has also served as a pipeline to union-level trade positions through the skills participants obtained through partnership engagement. Safer Foundation's policy and advocacy team plays a major role in expanding opportunities for people with records to over one hundred occupations, including the trades. This reform has allowed many to secure living wage employment, reducing the high recidivism rate within Illinois. Safer continues to build our social enterprise with Reconstructive Technology Partners (RTP). RTP is introducing people with records to the construction trades such as solar, carpentry and electrical through residential remodeling of homes on smaller construction projects. Understanding the need to have a greater community presence, outreach was extended to a boots on the ground model, including, but not limited to door-to-door engagement, DE-EE0008571 Safer Foundation Page 4 of 29 local radio broadcasting and print ads in local newspapers. We continue to seek innovative ways to increase Safer Foundations' presence in the renewable energy space. Outreach efforts gave us an opportunity to share critical reentry information and opportunities about our PV installer program. Giving us reach with local and national audiences alike. We launched a systematic approach to improving client data and client tracking through an evidence-based practices initiative. That implemented an agency wide cross-functional data management system. The system supported our goal of reviewing, evaluating, and making recommendations to improve operational processes, program delivery, information sharing, and more. Played a significant part in the success of the solar program. Finally, economists around the nation agree that there is a significant labor shortage. The shortage directly threatens our ability to sustain our economic growth; if employers do not have access to the workers they need, it can lead to a shutdown in the economic recovery. The demand for Safer Foundation services is more important and impactful than ever. We will continue to build upon our 50 years of experience to address the challenges ahead and serve more people in a better way. We are confident we will accomplish beautiful things that benefit everyone involved because together, we are powerful.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1976

Simulating an aerospace multiprocessor

The paper describes a simulator which was used to evaluate the architecture of an aerospace multiprocessor. The simulator models interactions among the processors, memories, the central data bus, and a possible 'job stack'. Special features of the simulator are discussed, including the use of explicitly coded and individually distinguishable 'job models' instead of a statistically defined 'job mix' and a specialized Job Model Definition Language to automate the detailed coding of the models. Some results are presented which show that when the simulator was employed in conjunction with queuing theory and Markov-process analysis, more insight into system behavior was obtained than would have been with any one technique alone.

Mallach, E. G.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Combining Quick-Turnaround and Batch Workloads at Scale

NAS uses PBS Professional to schedule and manage the workload on Pleiades, an 11,000+ node 1B cluster. At this scale the user experience for quick-turnaround jobs can degrade, which led NAS initially to set up two separate PBS servers, each dedicated to a particular workload. Recently we have employed PBS hooks and scheduler modifications to merge these workloads together under one PBS server, delivering sub-1-minute start times for the quick-turnaround workload, and enabling dynamic management of the resources set aside for that workload.

Matthews, Gregory A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modernizing the Nuclear Industry and New Ways of Working

Nuclear energy is recognized as the most feasible energy source towards achieving nation-wide net-zero goals (COP 208, MIT). Additionally, the demand for reliable, consistent energy supply is soaring with the construction of energy hungry data centers and AI tools. This means the construction of new nuclear and the continuation of current nuclear are a high national priority. However, this leaves the nuclear industry with a workforce challenge. The rising demand for nuclear power is threatened by an underpopulated workforce. There exist a few contributors to the decreased workforce such as skewed workforce demographics resulting in large-scale workforce retirement. Also, some plants have observed difficulty hiring and retaining skill sets that typically comprise the nuclear power workforce – specifically skilled craftsman. Those who are graduating with desirable skills are seeking employment in sectors that are more modern and culturally more aligned with younger generational values. Lastly, within the nuclear sector, skilled employees will be a competitive commodity as advanced plants come online offering work environments that incorporate modern technologies, skill sets, and opportunities for career advancement. These factors emphasize the need for legacy plants to modernize with a focus on the workplace environment and culture that meets younger generations’ skills, cultural expectations, and desire for advancement opportunities. Nuclear plants are actively engaged in deploying advancements that improve the management of systems, structures, and components as well as process improvements and technologies that can reduce the costs of operation and maintenance. However, the advancements must also be analyzed, reviewed and deployed in a manner that considers the impact on how people within the organization collaborate, communicate, make decisions, and solve problems. Neglecting to consider the cultural impact of modernization risks poor adoption, unrealized opportunities, or insignificant change toward helping attract new employees. The traditional way of working is not necessarily the way new generations want to engage with their employer. For instance, in a survey performed by North American Young Generation in Nuclear the top three reasons for younger nuclear employees to seek other job opportunities was seeking better work-life balance, a lack of advancement opportunities, and work culture and leadership style differences (Smyth et al. 2022). Integrated Operations for Nuclear (ION) is an approach for the nuclear industry to create long-term strategic modernization plans and analyze each advancement for the impact on people and processes and measure how those impacts flow up to support high-level, long-term plant goals and requirements. One principle of ION is to replace the current labor-centric operation style in legacy nuclear plants with data-centric collaborative operation styles. This paper will explain how transitioning operations to leverage centralized skills and responsibility, multi-skilled teams, and collaborative decision making can flatten the hierarchical structure in plants, enable greater individual efficacy while also offering more experiences and advancement opportunities to staff. Adopting the ION way of working shifts the industry mind-set towards more networked, collaborative, and modern way of working that will attract skilled, next-generation workers to operate the legacy nuclear fleet.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Unlocking nighttime mobility: Land use and accessibility in public transit for night commuters

Night commuters are integral to urban transportation systems. Essential services such as healthcare and manufacturing rely on workers who travel at night, and reliable mobility options are crucial for them. A gap exists in understanding how land use and accessibility influence public transportation use among night commuters. This study addresses this gap by using public data to explore land use and accessibility factors that affect night commuters' public transportation use in New York State. We investigated (1) the demographic characteristics of night commuters; (2) the influence of land use and accessibility on nighttime public transportation use; and (3) potential improvements to increase public transportation use and their impact. We combined data from the National Household Travel Survey with the Smart Location Database to link home locations with land use characteristics. Using logistic regression, we found that although females are generally less likely to be night commuters, they are more likely to use public transportation. Longer commute distances are associated with higher use of public transportation. Increasing job density along fixed-guideway transit routes and improving overall job accessibility via public transportation significantly enhances public transportation use among night commuters. In conclusion, this research provides actionable insights for public transportation agencies and urban planners to support night commuters, improving access and encouraging nighttime employment.

Job accessibility↗