Senior Pulsed Power Engineer

Zap Energy•Everett, WA

10h•$140,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

Zap Energy is looking for a Pulsed Power Engineer to join our team in Everett, WA This is a full-time, on-location position. Zap Energy is building a low-cost, compact and scalable fusion energy platform that conﬁnes and compresses plasma without the need for expensive and complex magnetic coils. Zap’s sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch technology offers the shortest potential path to commercially viable fusion and requires orders of magnitude less capital than traditional approaches. Zap Energy has over 60 employees in two facilities near Seattle and is backed by leading ﬁnancial and strategic investors.

Requirements

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Applied Physics or similar
10-15 years experience with pulsed power/high voltage electronics design and testing
Experience with high voltage pulsed power systems (50kV+, 100kA+, 10’s ns – 100us’s) and architectures including Marx generators, LTD, high energy capacitor banks
Familiarity with typical pulsed power components such as spark gap switches, thyristors, capacitors and other high voltage, high current components and materials
Deep understanding of energy storage, transmission line theory and impedance matching
Understanding of pulsed power diagnostics such as Rogowski, high voltage probes, b-dot / magnetic probes
Familiarity with 3D FEA modeling tools for electrostatic, transient dynamic, and circuit modeling
Proficiency with Ansys Maxwell 3D
Experience with high voltage safety equipment and procedures such as safing capacitor banks, discharge and grounding sticks, high voltage energy dump systems
Knowledgeable in various insulating systems including vacuum, pressurized insulating gas like SF6, breakdown in air, and insulating materials like polymers and ceramics
Demonstrated experience of strong troubleshooting skills and understanding of signal integrity, EMI, grounding and shielding.
Competency with typical electronics bench tools such as oscilloscopes, probes, signal generators, high voltage power supplies, impedance analyzers

Nice To Haves

Familiar with PCB development and tools such as Altium or KiCad, PCB manufacturing, and PCB testing
Experience with control systems
Programming in Python, C, or NI LabVIEW
Familiar with power electronics and switch mode power supplies
Experienced using solid modeling tools like SolidWorks

Responsibilities

Design and develop high-voltage pulsed power systems including capacitor banks, Marx generators, pulse forming networks with best practices and standards for reliable performance.
Create simulation models and perform electromagnetic analysis using tools such as SPICE, ANSYS, or other to optimize energy storage and discharge characteristics
Conduct high-voltage and high-current testing and analyze waveforms, rise times, and energy delivery performance
Develop and implement diagnostic systems and measurement techniques for characterizing pulse parameters
Troubleshoot system failures, perform root cause analysis, and implement design improvements to enhance reliability and performance
Design insulation systems, shielding, and safety interlocks for high-voltage applications
Research and evaluate new materials and technologies for advanced pulsed power systems
Write technical documentation, test reports, and design specifications
Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams on system integration and product development
Ensure compliance with high-voltage safety standards and regulatory requirements
Mentor and guide other pulsed power engineers and support in their design and development.
Follow established development processes and workflows and use industry best practices.