Senior Electrical Systems Engineer (BESS)
About The Position
The Senior Electrical Systems Engineer will contribute to research and development, technology, product, and solution development for ABB’s Critical Power product group in New Zealand. The role focuses mainly on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), while also supporting UPS systems across a portfolio ranging from 150 kVA to 30+ MVA. The engineer will develop and enhance Power Conditioning core technologies to improve performance, reduce cost, and increase operational efficiency, and will provide expertise in troubleshooting, product engineering support, and innovation for ABB’s technology roadmap. The position includes leading hardware design and development, contributing to low- and medium-voltage energy management system analysis and validation, carrying out electrical design and testing, and maintaining technical documentation. It also involves planning and executing customer-site commissioning, diagnosing electrical and performance issues, and providing technical guidance for customer applications. The role is onsite in Napier, New Zealand, and reports to the Chapter Lead (ELSP Pilot).
Requirements
- Strong understanding of BESS and power converters greater than 200 kW.
- At least 5 years of experience designing or maintaining power electronic systems within specialist teams.
- Ability to lead engineering projects and guide junior colleagues.
- Solid understanding of three-phase systems and power electronics, including inverter and converter operating principles, practical application, system integration, and interpretation of product specifications within defined performance and safety margins.
- Foundational knowledge of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), including conducted and radiated emissions, immunity requirements, and mitigation techniques such as filtering and shielding.
- Foundational knowledge of thermodynamics, including heat management and airflow optimisation in electrical cabinets.
- Understanding of control methods and ability to communicate effectively with control engineering teams for system integration.
- Ability to apply innovative thinking and technical creativity to complex R&D assignments and engineering problems.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and/or Power Electronics Engineering.
- Strong English communication skills and ability to collaborate across functions, technical domains, and multi-site engineering teams.
Nice To Haves
- Knowledge of grid compliance requirements, including grid codes, power quality standards (harmonics, THD, and power factor), fault ride-through, frequency and voltage regulation, and anti-islanding protection; familiarity with relevant IEC and IEEE standards is desirable.
- Familiarity with relevant EMC standards.
- Proficiency with AutoCAD and circuit simulation tools such as PSCAD or Matlab/Simulink.
- Postgraduate qualifications are desirable.
Responsibilities
- Lead hardware design and development of BESS and UPS systems.
- Contribute to analysis and validation of low- and medium-voltage energy management systems, including system protection schemes, power quality optimisation, energy storage integration, and evaluation of magnetic components.
- Perform electrical design activities, including cable and harness dimensioning, selection, routing and layout, and selection and definition of protection devices, sensors, and power supplies.
- Conduct functional, performance, and safety testing on BESS and UPS systems, ensuring compliance with industry standards and IEC/UL certifications.
- Develop, improve, and maintain technical documentation, including test procedures and plans, commissioning guides, user manuals, product drawings, and battery-system interface specifications.
- Plan and execute customer-site system commissioning, including pre-commissioning inspections, power-up sequences, functional verification, performance optimisation, and troubleshooting across product lines.
- Troubleshoot and diagnose electrical faults, power quality issues, and system performance problems; develop improvement strategies and provide technical guidance for customer applications.
- Develop expertise in ABB’s power conditioning portfolio, including BESS and HiPerGuard, and stay current with emerging power and energy management technologies.
- Contribute to successful project outcomes in technology, product, and solution development, including associated intellectual property.
- Apply technical expertise to propose and implement ideas that strengthen the technology roadmap.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
