Power Electronics Engineer – Electrical Engineer 4
Job Type: W2 Contract
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Location: Chillicothe, Illinois 61523
Work Setting: Fully onsite, 40 hours per week
Pay Rate: $52.50 – $54.00/hr.
Position Summary
Seeking a hands-on Power Electronics Engineer to support the design, development, validation, and troubleshooting of power electronics hardware for medium-voltage and utility-scale power conversion systems. This role focuses on Gate Driver Boards (GDBs), Power Boards, and associated circuitry used in high-power inverter and converter applications.
Key Responsibilities
Hardware Design & Development
- Design, analyze, and debug:
- Gate Driver Boards (GDBs)
- Power Boards
- Interface and protection circuits
- Current and voltage sensing circuits
- Develop schematics and review PCB layouts for high-voltage/high-current applications.
- Support selection and qualification of IGBT modules, SiC devices, gate drivers, power supplies, sensors, and protection devices.
- Conduct design reviews and implement improvements.
Testing & Validation
- Develop and execute validation plans.
- Perform:
- Double Pulse Testing (DPT)
- Switching characterization
- Thermal testing
- Fault-condition testing
- Protection verification
- Hardware commissioning
- Analyze switching losses, VCE overshoot, current sharing, desaturation performance, waveforms, and short-circuit response.
- Utilize oscilloscopes, differential probes, current probes, thermal cameras, power analyzers, and DAQ systems.
Root Cause Analysis
- Investigate inverter and power module failures.
- Analyze gate drive performance and switching behavior.
- Support root-cause analysis of:
- IGBT failures
- Shoot-through events
- False turn-on conditions
- Over-voltage/over-current events
- Thermal reliability concerns
Collaboration
- Work with controls, validation, cooling, mechanical, manufacturing, and supplier teams.
- Support prototype builds, product validation, DFM, and DFT initiatives.
Required Qualifications
- BS in Electrical Engineering.
- 5+ years of power electronics hardware development experience.
- MS with 3+ years considered.
- Associate degree with 10+ years considered.
- Internship experience accepted.
- Experience with inverter, converter, motor drive, UPS, BESS, renewable energy, or similar systems.
- Strong knowledge of:
- IGBT and SiC devices
- Gate driver design
- Power converter topologies
- Switching behavior
- Protection circuits
- Thermal management
- Experience designing and debugging power electronics PCBs.
- Hands-on laboratory testing experience.
- Proficiency with oscilloscopes and high-speed measurement techniques.
Top 3 Skills
-
Gate Driver Board (GDB) Design & Validation
- Gate drive design, desaturation protection, active clamping, switching optimization.
-
Power Electronics Hardware Design
- Power boards, sensing circuits, protection circuits, PCB review, hardware bring-up.
-
Power Electronics Testing & Root Cause Analysis
- DPT, switching characterization, thermal testing, fault testing, inverter troubleshooting.
Preferred Qualifications
- MS in Electrical Engineering (Power Electronics emphasis).
- Medium-voltage power conversion experience.
- Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, LTspice, or Altium.
- EMI/EMC, DFMEA, reliability engineering, UL/IEC standards.
- Production launch and contract manufacturer support experience.
Work Environment
- Office and laboratory environment.
- Approximately 25%-75% office work, remainder in lab.
- PPE required.
- Occasional travel for testing and field support.
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