Power Electronics Controls Engineer
About The Position
Heron Power is a startup developing power electronics hardware for the electrical grid, with an initial focus on converters (inverters and rectifiers) for connecting large-scale renewable energy, storage, and loads to the grid. The company describes its environment as dynamic, collaborative, and grounded in first-principles engineering. The Power Electronics Controls Engineer is responsible for dynamic modeling, controller design, implementation, and validation for power converters, as well as system analysis and integration. The role works closely with circuit-design, hardware, and firmware engineers on converter architectures, controller implementation, prototype testing, and performance improvement.
Requirements
- Master's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering.
- At least 5 years of experience.
- Strong electrical engineering fundamentals.
- Familiarity with simple power-conversion topologies.
- Understanding of dynamic models and control systems.
- Ability to write and troubleshoot C code.
- Hands-on circuit troubleshooting experience.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with resonant converter topologies and controls.
- Experience designing and controlling grid-tied inverter systems.
- Familiarity with modular architectures and/or multilevel topologies.
- Familiarity with grid-code requirements such as IEEE 1547, IEEE 2800, UL 1741, or equivalent.
- Embedded coding and troubleshooting experience.
- Experience in high-volume production and support.
- Familiarity with power-system modeling, operation, and common protection techniques.
- Experience with PV conversion systems, including maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and arc-fault detection.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate system-level requirements and translate them into dynamic-performance and controls specifications.
- Analyze and model candidate converter topologies and architectures, and work with the hardware team to evaluate engineering trade-offs.
- Define and design controller architectures to achieve design and dynamic objectives.
- Perform failure-mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to identify design weaknesses and devise mitigation strategies.
- Study and analyze grid-code compliance requirements and protection schemes, including arc-fault and ground-fault protection.
- Capture controller designs in Matlab/Simulink.
- Perform small-signal modeling to tune and stabilize controller responses.
- Define microcontroller requirements and evaluate available offerings.
- Review electrical schematics and recommend changes to ensure signal acquisition and the plant are designed to handle transients and edge cases.
- Translate algorithms from Simulink into embedded C code.
- Create and use hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) setups for validation.
- Work with the hardware team on prototype bring-up and validation.
- Create and execute dynamic stress-test plans.
- Design and support special behaviors for thermal, reliability, and compliance testing.
- Design and support special behaviors for end-of-line testing in volume production.
- Review and analyze fleet data and devise performance-improvement and failure-mitigation strategies.
- Collaborate with adjacent teams, including circuit-design and firmware engineering.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation, including salary and equity.
- Benefits (specific benefits not listed).
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
