Open Positions

The Shin Group at MIT has multiple openings for postdoctoral associates and current and incoming graduate students, starting in Fall, 2026. We focus on applying optimization and modeling methods to solve practical problems in the energy domain, including power grid operations and planning, electricity market design and analysis, energy storage, and data center modeling and operations. We are looking for people who are genuinely excited about these topics and eager to drive the research forward, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of personal background.

Available Projects

• GPU-accelerated grid optimization — GPU solvers for distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) and energy system planning.
• Data center modeling and operations — data center load modeling at fast time scale (seconds to minutes).
• Long-duration energy storage — quantifying how much long-duration energy storage can improve system reliability.
• Electricity market design and analysis — improving price causation amid the rapid growth of the data center sector.
• Demand response modeling — positioning flexible load assets within a multi-asset energy portfolio.

Qualifications

Postdoctoral Associates

• Ph.D. (completed by the start date) in Engineering, Operations Research, Optimization, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• Strong background in one of the following disciplines: mathematical modeling, mathematical optimization, systems engineering, control, power and energy systems, and operations research.
• Ability to communicate and engage effectively with practitioners and industry partners. The group collaborates extensively with industry across the energy sector — including GE Vernova, Equinor, and Shell, as well as consortium members of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITei) Future of Energy Systems Center — and we value people who can learn about partners' real-world challenges, identify meaningful problems, and work with industry to solve them.

Graduate Students

• Current or incoming MIT graduate students in Chemical Engineering and other engineering departments, the Operations Research Center (ORC), Computational Science and Engineering (CSE), and the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS).

How to Apply

• Postdoctoral applicants: email a CV, a brief research statement, and the names of two to three references to sushin@mit.edu with the subject line “Postdoctoral Application.” Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.
• Incoming and first-year MIT graduate students: email Prof. Shin (sushin@mit.edu) a CV and a brief description of your research interests, and schedule a meeting to discuss opportunities in the group.
• Prospective graduate students: please apply to one of the relevant MIT graduate programs listed above.