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Optimization engineer for energy systems and scientific software
Jairo Rúa
Norway Switzerland
I am an engineer specializing in mathematical optimization, control, and numerical simulation for energy and industrial systems. I develop models, algorithms, and software for optimal design and operation under physical constraints and uncertainty.
My experience includes convex, nonlinear, and stochastic optimization, energy-management solutions, dynamic simulation, production optimization, industrial data analysis, and control design and implementation. At ABB, I have led technical work involving the modeling, simulation, control design and optimization of industrial assets and energy systems.
My academic work includes optimal scheduling under uncertainty, model predictive control, convex optimization, system identification, and numerical studies of power-generation systems. I am particularly interested in applying this background to energy asset optimization, quantitative energy analysis, decision-support software, and portfolio optimization.
- Numerical optimization
- Convex optimization
- Stochastic optimization under uncertainty
- Energy-system design and operational optimization
- Power-generation scheduling and flexibility
- Energy-management optimization
- Dynamic modeling and numerical simulation
- Model predictive control
- Scientific software development
- Industrial data analysis and system identification
Latest articles
View all articles →Work experience
Aug 2025 – Present
Senior Technical Consultant
ABB
- Lead the technical development and sales of digital solutions for process operations, control, production optimization, and energy-system performance.
- Develop business opportunities and customer relationships in emerging energy sectors, with a focus on operational needs, technical feasibility, and value creation.
- Translate customer requirements into technical concepts and project scopes for modeling, simulation, optimization, and decision-support solutions.
- Lead technical projects involving the modeling, simulation, and optimization of renewable power, hydrogen, ammonia, and other new-energy systems.
Nov 2022 – Aug 2025
Section Manager
ABB
- Managed a multidisciplinary team of 8–12 engineers.
- Technical lead of optimization-based designs for integrated energy systems, considering technical performance and operational constraints.
- Led modeling, simulation, and optimization projects for renewable power generation and hydrogen and ammonia production systems.
- Project manager for deliveries related to industrial operations, control, energy management, and optimization.
- Technical sales of control and energy management solutions, including initial customer communication, problem analysis, and solution definition.
Nov 2020 – Oct 2022
Project Engineer
ABB
- Software development of optimization algorithms for virtual flow metering applications.
- Development of energy-management optimization solutions and dynamic simulation models for industrial systems.
- Analyzed industrial operating data and applied mathematical modeling and numerical simulation to engineering problems.
- Designed, commissioned, and tuned industrial control structures and control solutions.
Education
2017 – 2020
Ph.D. in Control and Optimization of Energy Systems
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) · Imperial College London (ICL)
- Optimal control and automation of thermal power plants.
- Stochastic optimization of energy systems under uncertainty.
- Data-based modelling using system identification, statistics, and machine learning.
2015 – 2017
M.Sc. in Dynamic Energy Systems
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
- Studies in process control and optimization, numerical methods, dynamic-system modelling, and process engineering.
2011 – 2015
B.Sc. in Energy Engineering
University of Vigo (UVigo)
Publications
Complete list on Google Scholar ↗01
Optimal scheduling of flexible thermal power plants with lifetime enhancement under uncertainty
J. Rúa, A. Verheyleweghen, J. Jäschke, L. O. Nord
Applied Thermal Engineering, 191, 11679402
Model predictive control for combined cycles integrated with CO2 capture plants
J. Rúa, M. Hillestad, L. O. Nord
Computers & Chemical Engineering, 146, 10721703
The role of natural gas in Europe towards 2050
A. Neumann et al.
Research report04
Does CCS reduce power generation flexibility? A dynamic study of combined cycles with post-combustion CO2 capture
J. Rúa, M. Bui, L. O. Nord, N. Mac Dowell
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 95, 10298405
Optimal control of flexible natural gas combined cycles with stress monitoring: Linear vs nonlinear model predictive control
J. Rúa, L. O. Nord
Applied Energy, 265, 11482006
Optimal dynamic operation of natural gas combined cycles accounting for stresses in thick-walled components
J. Rúa, R. Agromayor, M. Hillestad, L. O. Nord
Applied Thermal Engineering, 170, 11485807
Stress monitoring during optimal dynamic operation of a natural gas combined cycle: Linear vs nonlinear formulation
J. Rúa, L. O. Nord
08
Exergy analysis for combined heat and power (CHP) plants
J. Rúa, L. O. Nord
09
Dynamic modeling and simulation of an offshore combined heat and power (CHP) plant
J. Rúa, L. O. Nord, R. M. Montañés, L. Riboldi
Proceedings of the 58th Conference on Simulation and Modelling10
Simulation of starting and stopping vortices of an airfoil
R. Agromayor, J. Rúa, R. Kristoffersen