Student Assistant in the Field »Business models of system transformation and technology transfer«

The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal Energy IEG conducts research at seven locations in the fields of integrated energy infrastructures, geothermal energy, and sector coupling for a successful energy transition. Our research institute conducts applied research, develops innovative technologies for public and industrial clients, and translates these into marketable products and processes.

Our Competence Center deals with conceptual and economic issues of strategies and business models for the energy transition in Germany.  The focus is on municipal and private-sector actors who are confronted with the opportunities and risks of the coal phase-out and its associated structural changes on the one hand and with the energy transition on the other.

Our main area of research is the techno-economic and regulatory assessment of business, operator and citizen energy models for a sustainable energy system transformation. A key feature here is the holistic and interdisciplinary approach in which we investigate and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of suitable solution approaches and technologies for the heat transition and sector coupling from the different perspectives of various stakeholders.

Another aspect is the integrated consideration of energy infrastructure, urban and regional planning topics, with the aim of harmonizing the expansion of renewable energies and infrastructure development even better with the green transformation of the economy and society.

The position of student assistant is based at our site in Cottbus.

What you will do

• Contribute to documentation and data modeling to ensure consistency, replicability, and usability.
• Ensure the reliability of data pipelines and transformation workflows.
• Generate and maintain dashboards and reports.
• Conduct basic data exploration to extract meaningful business insights.
• Provide analytical support to business teams, guiding strategic and operational decisions.
• Perform econometric analysis and machine learning tests.
• Draft concise, insightful reports and manage key performance metrics for self-service analytics across teams.
• Conduct literature and internet research on international energy economics, renewable hydrogen infrastructure, and supply chains.
• Extract, process, validate, and visualize data using MS Office and/or Python.

What you bring to the table

• You are a registered student in the following subjects in natural science, engineering, physics, economics, or a related field.
• Familiarity with energy economics, energy system modeling, hydrogen production value chain, data analytics, and visualization are significant advantages.
• Basic understanding of energy and financial markets, as well as regulatory trends in energy modeling.
• Enthusiasm for topics related to the energy transition.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), GitHub, and Python for data analysis (e.g., Pandas, Matplotlib).
• Experience with visualization tools such as Plotly Dash, Power BI, Tableau, or Grafana.
• Interest in developing Python skills.
• Basic knowledge of SQL.
• Independent yet team-oriented work style, with the ability to work in a hybrid setup.
• Strong attention to detail and analytical thinking.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; German language skills are a plus.
• Participation in academic or personal projects involving data interpretation and synthesis is advantageous.
• Familiarity with HTML and the deployment of user-friendly application designs is desirable.

What you can expect

• A practice-oriented work that complements your studies.
• The possibility of writing a master's thesis.
• Targeted and individual support through our supervisors to help you succeed.
• Flexible working hours that fit your studies, including the option for remote work (with at least one on-site meeting per week in Cottbus).
• A well-equipped technical infrastructure.
• We will encourage you to actively participate in the projects and include your ideas.

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. Remuneration according to the general works agreement for employing assistant staff.

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. 

Interested? Apply online now. We look forward to getting to know you!

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact:

Björn Drechsler and Gloria Colmenares

Contact by email

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact:

Philipp Steinborn

Phone: +49 355 35540 172

Contact by email

Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG 

www.ieg.fraunhofer.de 

Requisition Number: 80714                Application Deadline: 08/31/2025