Principal Electrical Engineer
About The Position
The Principal Electrical Engineer – Power Electronics will lead the design and development of low-cost, high-efficiency coil driver amplifiers for distributed motion control architectures. This position focuses on current-controlled power electronics systems used to drive large arrays of electromagnetic actuators. The system architecture includes FPGA-based current loop control, PWM generation, and EtherCAT distributed communication networks. The role will directly contribute to the development of a scalable distributed coil control platform, supporting applications such as levitation systems and next-generation robotic actuation platforms.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering
- Minimum 8 years of experience in power electronics design
- Strong expertise in: MOSFET-based power stages (half/full bridge), Medium voltage DC systems (up to ~200V)
- Hands-on experience with: Current sensing techniques (shunt, differential amplifiers), Control loop design (PI/PID)
- Experience designing systems for: EMI/EMC robustness, Thermal performance, Reliability and failure analysis
Nice To Haves
- Experience with FPGA-based control systems (e.g., Lattice, Xilinx, Zynq)
- Familiarity with: EtherCAT or distributed real-time control networks
- Experience with: Motor drives (BLDC, SRM), Electromagnetic or multi-coil actuator systems
- Experience in: High-channel-count control systems, Real-time embedded control architectures
Responsibilities
- Design and develop coil driver amplifiers using half-bridge and H-bridge topologies
- Support systems operating at DC bus voltages up to 200V
- Optimize for efficiency, cost, and reliability in high-volume applications
- Address observed prototype issues including: PCB reliability and component failures, Noise in current feedback loops, Interconnect robustness and serviceability
- Develop and optimize closed-loop current control systems, including: Precision current sensing (shunt + amplifier), PI/PID control loops, Low-latency feedback control
- Ensure stable operation across: Wide variation in coil inductance, Large numbers of independently controlled coils
- Implement or co-develop: Current loop control algorithms on FPGA platforms, High-performance PWM generation
- Interface with multi-channel control architectures using: Parallel or synchronous SPI communication
- Develop driver modules operating within a distributed EtherCAT control network
- Support scalable architectures capable of controlling: Tens to hundreds of actuators per subsystem
- Collaborate with system teams on partitioning control between: Central controllers and distributed driver nodes
- Select and design: MOSFETs, gate drivers, and current sensing circuits, Protection and filtering circuitry (snubbers, transient suppression)
- Lead PCB-level implementation including layout guidance for: High-current switching paths, Noise-sensitive analog measurement circuits
- Define and execute design verification testing (DVT)
- Design to meet aggressive cost targets: Drive design trade-offs balancing: Performance, Manufacturability, Scalability
- Improve system KPIs including: Standby power consumption, Thermal efficiency, Mean time between failures (MTBF)
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision and Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Plan
- Company paid holidays
- Flexible Vacation
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
