Chief Engineer, Electrical

Karman Industries • Los Angeles, CA

18d • $190,000 - $240,000

About The Position

Karman Industries is seeking a senior technical authority for power electronics and electrical systems across its engineering organization. The role focuses on the high-speed electrically driven turbomachinery core in the company's Heat Processing Unit (HPU), rather than facilities or building electrical work. The Chief Engineer will own the electrical architecture of a high-speed motor-drive system, including power conversion, high- and low-voltage distribution, and the electrical safety case for a novel electromechanical product, while setting technical standards for the electrical engineering team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 15+ years of experience in power electronics, high-voltage systems, or electrical machine design, including technical leadership of complex electromechanical programs.
• Demonstrated depth in AC/DC power conversion and high- and low-voltage system design from first principles.
• Proven track record owning electrical technical decisions with program-wide or company-wide impact.
• Strong communication skills and ability to set technical direction across a growing engineering organization.

Nice To Haves

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.
• Experience with electromagnetic FEA and power system simulation tools such as Ansys Maxwell, JMAG, Motor-CAD, or PSCAD.
• Background in high-speed electric machines, motor drives, or grid-scale power electronics.
• Familiarity with electrical safety and compliance standards, including NEC, IEC, and UL, relevant to novel industrial hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own technical architecture and design standards for power electronics, including converters, inverters, and motor drives for the high-speed turbomachinery core.
• Define and govern high-voltage and low-voltage distribution, protection, switchgear, and grounding/bonding practices across programs.
• Lead electromagnetic and thermal analysis of power electronics and electrical machines, including FEA-based design verification.
• Chair electrical design reviews and provide final technical sign-off on electrical system risk decisions.
• Own the electrical safety and EMI/EMC compliance strategy.
• Partner with Thermal, Mechanical, and Dynamics & Controls leadership on integrated system trade-offs, such as motor-drive cooling and control interfaces.
• Mentor senior and principal electrical engineers and build the discipline's technical bench strength.
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for electrical system failures or field issues.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior