Principal Power Electronics Engineer
Posted 3 days ago by Emotiv Technical Recruitment
Negotiable
Outside
Undetermined
Coventry, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Principal Power Electronics Engineer will lead the development of advanced power conversion systems for electrification applications, focusing on architecture definition, design, and verification of power electronics solutions. This hands-on technical leadership role involves collaboration with a multi-disciplinary engineering team and external suppliers to deliver high-performance products for electric vehicles and energy systems. The position requires significant experience in power electronics design and a strong understanding of high-voltage and high-power systems. The role is contract-based for a duration of 4 months and classified as outside IR35.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the design and development of innovative power electronic systems, including converters, inverters, and motor drives
- Define system architectures, selecting optimal topologies to balance efficiency, cost, size, and performance
- Produce detailed electronic designs, including schematics and oversight of PCB layouts
- Design and specify key components including switching devices, gate drives, magnetics, and filtering systems
- Perform simulation and analysis to validate system performance and design decisions
- Define control strategies and system requirements for monitoring and operation
- Analyse power losses and support thermal management strategies
- Ensure designs meet performance, safety, and regulatory requirements
- Lead commissioning and verification of systems, ensuring compliance with specifications and standards
- Conduct root cause analysis and resolve technical issues
- Support prototype builds, system integration, and testing activities
- Deliver engineering activities in line with project timelines, quality standards, and change control processes
- Support requirements management, FMEA, and functional safety activities at hardware level
- Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation
- Work closely with cross-functional teams including software, mechanical, and systems engineering
- Engage with suppliers and manufacturers to support component selection and product delivery
- Build and maintain strong relationships with external technology partners
Key Skills:
- Degree in Electronics Engineering or a related discipline
- Significant experience (typically 10+ years) in power electronics design and development
- Proven experience with high-voltage (>400V) and high-power (>10kW) systems
- Strong expertise in power conversion topologies (e.g. DC-DC, inverters, rectifiers)
- Switching technologies (Si, SiC, GaN)
- Gate driver design and optimisation
- Magnetics design (inductors, transformers)
- Analog and digital interface electronics
- Experience with schematic design and PCB layout for high-current/high-voltage systems
- Proficiency with simulation tools such as PLECS, PSIM, or SPICE
- Hands-on experience with lab testing and safe working practices for high-voltage systems
- Track record of delivering engineering projects within cost, quality, and time constraints
- Experience in industries such as automotive, electrification, aerospace, or energy storage
- Knowledge of EMC standards and testing
- Experience with functional safety and hardware compliance standards
- Understanding of electrical safety regulations and protection systems
- Experience designing complex multi-layer PCBs
- Practical skills in soldering, rework, and prototype development
- Deep understanding of power conversion topologies (e.g. LLC, PSFB, DAB) and their control methods
- Strong knowledge of semiconductor technologies and their application
- Expertise in switching behaviour optimisation and loss reduction
- Understanding of magnetic component design and power loss mechanisms
- Knowledge of thermal analysis and thermal management techniques
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: Coventry
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: undetermined
IR35 Status: outside IR35
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: Other
Job Title: Principal Power Electronics Engineer (Contract)
Contract Length: 4 Months
IR35 Status: Outside IR35
Location: Coventry
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Power Electronics Engineer to lead the development of advanced power conversion systems for cutting-edge electrification applications. This is a hands-on technical leadership role where you will take ownership of architecture definition, design, and verification of power electronics solutions, including motor drives and control systems. You will work closely with a multi-disciplinary engineering team and external suppliers to deliver high-performance, robust products for demanding applications such as electric vehicles and energy systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Design & Development
- Lead the design and development of innovative power electronic systems, including converters, inverters, and motor drives
- Define system architectures, selecting optimal topologies to balance efficiency, cost, size, and performance
- Produce detailed electronic designs, including schematics and oversight of PCB layouts
- Design and specify key components including switching devices, gate drives, magnetics, and filtering systems
- Perform simulation and analysis to validate system performance and design decisions
- Control & Performance
- Define control strategies and system requirements for monitoring and operation
- Analyse power losses and support thermal management strategies
- Ensure designs meet performance, safety, and regulatory requirements
- Testing & Validation
- Lead commissioning and verification of systems, ensuring compliance with specifications and standards
- Conduct root cause analysis and resolve technical issues
- Support prototype builds, system integration, and testing activities
- Work safely with high-voltage and high-power systems
- Engineering Governance
- Deliver engineering activities in line with project timelines, quality standards, and change control processes
- Support requirements management, FMEA, and functional safety activities at hardware level
- Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation
- Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
- Work closely with cross-functional teams including software, mechanical, and systems engineering
- Engage with suppliers and manufacturers to support component selection and product delivery
- Build and maintain strong relationships with external technology partners
Key Skills & Experience
Essential
- Degree in Electronics Engineering or a related discipline
- Significant experience (typically 10+ years) in power electronics design and development
- Proven experience with high-voltage (>400V) and high-power (>10kW) systems
- Strong expertise in:
- Power conversion topologies (e.g. DC-DC, inverters, rectifiers)
- Switching technologies (Si, SiC, GaN)
- Gate driver design and optimisation
- Magnetics design (inductors, transformers)
- Analog and digital interface electronics
- Experience with schematic design and PCB layout for high-current/high-voltage systems
- Proficiency with simulation tools such as PLECS, PSIM, or SPICE
- Hands-on experience with lab testing and safe working practices for high-voltage systems
- Track record of delivering engineering projects within cost, quality, and time constraints
Desirable
- Experience in industries such as automotive, electrification, aerospace, or energy storage
- Knowledge of EMC standards and testing
- Experience with functional safety and hardware compliance standards
- Understanding of electrical safety regulations and protection systems
- Experience designing complex multi-layer PCBs
- Practical skills in soldering, rework, and prototype development
Technical Knowledge
- Deep understanding of power conversion topologies (e.g. LLC, PSFB, DAB) and their control methods
- Strong knowledge of semiconductor technologies and their application
- Expertise in switching behaviour optimisation and loss reduction
- Understanding of magnetic component design and power loss mechanisms
- Knowledge of thermal analysis and thermal management techniques