Senior Power Electronics Performance & Application Engineer

Caterpillar Inc.•Mossville, IL

1d•$112,710 - $169,060•Onsite

About The Position

Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions (IDES) Division focuses on advanced electrified power trains, zero-emissions products and technologies, and associated solutions and services. Its areas of focus include batteries, fuel cells, motors, inverters, microgrid controllers, charging, energy storage systems, lifecycle solutions and services, and integration of components for ePowertrain solutions across industries. The Senior Performance / Simulation / Application Engineer provides technical leadership for analysis, simulation, application, and electrical integration of Medium Voltage Power Electronics (MVPE) solutions across electrified machine platforms. The engineer translates machine- and system-level requirements into power electronics performance requirements, component selections, system architectures, and validated design solutions. The role uses modeling, simulation, trade studies, and engineering analysis to optimize inverters, converters, power modules, DC-link systems, protection, and related electrical systems for performance, efficiency, reliability, thermal capability, cost, and application requirements. The engineer works across product development and machine application teams to ensure MVPE solutions operate as integrated electrical systems from concept through validation and production. The position is based in Mossville, Illinois, requires onsite work five days per week, and involves domestic travel up to 25% with minimal international travel. Domestic relocation assistance is offered; visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, power electronics, systems engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Demonstrated experience in electrical system analysis, power electronics, electric drive systems, or electrified machine applications.
Experience applying modeling and simulation to engineering design and component selection.
Strong understanding of electrical circuits, power conversion, system interactions, and engineering fundamentals.
Strong analytical problem-solving and technical communication skills.
Extensive experience with process evaluation, diagnosis, optimization, and process improvement tools and techniques.
Extensive experience handling detailed information accurately and applying quality-assurance practices.
Extensive analytical thinking and problem-solving experience, including evaluating causes, risks, benefits, and alternative solutions.
Working knowledge of effective communication, technical excellence, project management, and computer-aided design and engineering.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in electrical engineering, power electronics, or a related discipline.
Experience with medium- or high-voltage power electronics, including inverters, converters, power modules, DC-link systems, bus structures, and protection systems.
Experience with electrical and power electronics simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, PSIM, SPICE, or comparable modeling environments.
Knowledge of semiconductor technologies and application considerations, including IGBT and SiC devices, switching behavior, losses, thermal limits, and device protection.
Experience analyzing system efficiency, electrical losses, transient behavior, harmonics, thermal loading, fault conditions, and component life.
Experience correlating simulation predictions with component, laboratory, or machine-level test results.
Familiarity with diesel-electric, battery-electric, Dynamic Energy Transfer, or other high-power electrified equipment applications.
Experience supporting NPI activities, technical design reviews, DFMEA, DVP&R, requirements development, and validation planning.

Responsibilities

Develop and apply electrical and system-level models to predict power electronics performance, evaluate operating conditions, identify design limits, and guide architecture and component decisions.
Lead analytical selection and sizing of electrical components, including power semiconductors, DC-link capacitors, bus structures, contactors, protection devices, filtering components, sensors, and supporting power-conversion hardware.
Translate machine requirements into electrical architectures, component requirements, interface definitions, operating envelopes, and design constraints for MVPE systems.
Partner with controls, electrical, mechanical, thermal, validation, and machine integration teams to optimize system-level performance.
Analyze machine duty cycles, voltage and current requirements, transient conditions, thermal loading, fault conditions, and other application requirements to ensure power electronics solutions are appropriately sized and applied.
Lead technical trade studies evaluating architecture, topology, component technology, performance, efficiency, thermal capability, reliability, packaging, cost, and system implications; provide recommendations and influence design direction.
Define performance requirements and validation methods, correlate analytical models to laboratory and machine test data, investigate performance gaps, and improve simulation fidelity throughout development.
Serve as a technical resource for power electronics analysis and application engineering; coach engineers in simulation and analytical methods; help establish reusable models, analysis methods, design guidelines, and engineering best practices.
Collaborate with global engineering teams, suppliers, manufacturing, validation teams, and machine programs throughout concept development, NPI, validation, and production implementation.