Power Electronics Engineer

Job Title:

Principal Power Electronics Engineer

Job Description

As a Principal Power Electronics Engineer, you will lead the end-to-end design, development, and testing of flight-critical power avionics hardware for planetary rover vehicles. You will own the rover's entire power system-from solar input and battery management through regulated power distribution and fault protection-ensuring highly reliable performance in demanding space environments. This is a senior, hands-on role where you collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary avionics team to turn clean-sheet concepts into robust, mission-ready hardware.

Responsibilities

+ Own the architecture and development of vehicle power electronics from a clean sheet through flight, including solar power conversion, battery management systems, power distribution, load management, and voltage regulation.

+ Define and implement detailed PCBA requirements, use cases, and system integration plans for the rover power system.

+ Create and maintain schematics for power and analog circuits using Altium Designer, ensuring robust design practices and clear documentation.

+ Perform PCB layout for complex power and analog boards, including power converters, regulators, distribution boards, and battery interface boards.

+ Conduct detailed design analyses, including power budgeting, size and mass assessments, Monte Carlo tolerance analysis, and reliability-related evaluations.

+ Plan and execute PCBA design verification testing, including bench-level functional tests, performance characterization under load, and environmental or qualification testing.

+ Lead system integration testing of power electronics with the broader rover avionics and subsystems, resolving interface issues and optimizing system performance.

+ Prepare and lead design reviews for interdisciplinary audiences, clearly presenting design decisions, trade-offs, risks, and mitigation strategies.

+ Use SPICE and Excel to model, simulate, and analyze circuits, validating designs prior to fabrication and refining them based on test results.

+ Work hands-on in the lab to bring up new boards, troubleshoot hardware issues, interpret test results, and validate performance against requirements.

+ Support manufacturing activities, including design-for-manufacturability considerations, build support, and resolution of production issues related to power hardware.

+ Provide technical support for flight operations as needed, ensuring reliable power system performance throughout the mission.

+ Collaborate closely with other engineering disciplines to ensure the power system meets mission, mechanical, thermal, and software constraints.

+ Contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced engineering culture by proactively identifying improvements, sharing expertise, and mentoring other team members.

Essential Skills

+ Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline.

+ 15+ years of experience in power electronics design, including schematic capture, PCB layout, and hardware testing.

+ Deep expertise in solar power conversion, voltage regulation, load management, fault protection, and power transmission.

+ Strong experience with analog instrumentation and digital circuits in power electronics applications.

+ Proven ability to perform schematic capture and layout of complex PCBAs for power and analog circuitry.

+ Proficiency using Altium Designer for schematic capture and PCB layout.

+ Skilled in performing circuit analyses using SPICE for simulation and Excel for calculations and data analysis.

+ Hands-on proficiency with electronic lab equipment, including power supplies, oscilloscopes, digital multimeters (DMMs), signal generators, and soldering tools.

+ Demonstrated success working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with evolving requirements.

+ Ability to take ownership of complex systems, work with minimal supervision, and drive designs from concept through flight readiness.

Additional

Skills & Qualifications

+ Experience designing power electronics for mission-critical or harsh-environment applications such as aerospace, space, or automotive systems.

+ Background in power system architecture, including end-to-end power flow from energy generation and storage through regulated distribution and fault management.

+ Experience supporting qualification testing, system integration, manufacturing, and flight or field operations for hardware products.

+ Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present technical content to interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders.

+ Comfort working in a startup-like environment that values autonomy, initiative, and creative problem solving.

+ Passion for space exploration and interest in contributing to planetary rover missions.

Work Environment

You will work in a fast-paced, startup-style environment where autonomy, ownership, and initiative are highly valued. The avionics team collaborates closely with other engineering disciplines to design, build, and…