Electrical Engineer

About Tempo

Based in San Diego, California, Tempo develops thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems designed for energy‑intensive industries. The platform enables industrial operators to shift energy use over time by sourcing power when it is most cost‑effective and enables the electrification of high‑temperature industrial heat at a cost advantage to using fossil fuels. By storing electricity thermochemically, the system delivers a continuous stream of combustion‑free, high‑temperature air at up to 1,200°C.

Tempo is backed by leading climate and energy investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Prelude Ventures.

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Tempo is seeking a Power Electronics & Controls Engineer to take meaningful ownership of power conversion system development within our engineering team. In this role, you will drive hardware design, through bring‑up and field integration, and control development work effectively across engineering disciplines with a high degree of independence, and serve as a dependable technical resource for the broader team.

This position is well suited for an engineer with a demonstrated track record of delivering power electronics hardware and control systems, sound technical judgment, and the ability to lead project work without close direction in a fast‑paced, early‑stage company environment.

Circuit & System Design

• Design and optimize power conversion circuits — including DC/DC, AC/DC, and DC/AC topologies — supporting the charging and control of Thermal Battery Modules within the TCES system.
• Evaluate design approaches for gate drivers, custom magnetics, and protection circuitry, and provide well‑reasoned recommendations for high‑voltage, high‑temperature, and harsh‑environment applications.
• Identify and advance cost reduction opportunities across the Power and Rectifier cabinets, collaborating with mechanical, thermal, and manufacturing teams to translate design improvements into practice.

Integration & Bring‑Up

• Own hardware bring‑up and integration of power electronics circuits and modules, including test planning, execution, and resolution of issues through to completion.
• Lead hardware/software integration of power conversion systems in close collaboration with firmware and controls engineers, resolving interface issues and escalating appropriately when warranted.
• Coordinate across thermal, mechanical, and software engineering teams to integrate the Power Cabinet into the Thermal Array and broader TCES system architecture.

Controls & Grid Interface

• Validate designs across the expected operating envelope, including variable generation profiles and relevant edge cases, and recommend design responses when gaps are identified.
• Utilize Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) simulation tools to support control system tuning and hardware/firmware co‑validation.

Reliability, Compliance & Testing

• Take ownership of regulatory compliance for assigned designs, ensuring adherence to applicable UL, CE, and IEC standards and proactively surfacing cross‑cutting compliance considerations.
• Plan and execute EMC testing and reliability validation within project scope, interpreting results and driving appropriate design responses.
• Identify and resolve power conversion system issues across all stages of development — from architecture through lab validation and field deployment — applying sound judgment in prioritizing and sequencing resolution efforts.

R&D & Scalability

• Contribute technical analysis and recommendations to power electronics scalability efforts, including modular pilot plant designs, commercial TCES system scale‑up, and Thermal Array configurations.
• Support definition of power electronics requirements for new product development programs, synthesizing cross‑functional inputs into clear and well‑grounded technical recommendations.
• Provide technical guidance and design review support to junior engineers, contributing to a collaborative and growth‑oriented team environment, as needed.

Required

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field; M.S. preferred
• 4–6 years of hands‑on power electronics design experience, with a…