Staff PCB Designer, Power Electronics

Amperesand • San Francisco, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Amperesand is disrupting industrial power with the first commercialized Solid State Transformer systems. Solid State Transformers systems are much more than a transformer replacement, enabling numerous advanced features to unlock solutions for data centers, EV charging, renewables, microgrids, and industrial installations. We are looking for mission driven team members passionate about making amazing products for worldwide electrification at maximum acceleration. Amperesand is building a global company and looking for talent across our geographies. We are seeking an experienced PCB Designer to support the development of medium-voltage (MV) power electronics products. This role focuses on high-energy, high-voltage PCB layouts where clearance and creepage (C&C), insulation coordination, and safety compliance are critical.
The ideal candidate has deep hands-on experience designing MV/HV boards and understands the safety, manufacturability, and compliance requirements unique to power electronics. You will partner closely with power electronics engineers, manufacturing partners, and supply chain teams to deliver safe, reliable, and production-ready designs.

Requirements

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of PCB design experience, including direct experience in MV or HV power electronics
• Strong hands-on expertise in clearance and creepage (C&C) design and insulation coordination
• Proficiency with PCB CAD tools (Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, or equivalent)
• Deep understanding of PCB fabrication and assembly processes for high-voltage designs
• Experience generating production-ready documentation packages
• Practical experience with BOM management and component sourcing
• Familiarity with HV safety standards such as IEC 60664, IEC 61800, UL 508, UL 840, or similar

Nice To Haves

• Experience with conformal coating, potting, encapsulation, and insulation systems
• Knowledge of partial discharge mitigation and electric field control techniques
• Experience working directly with PCB fabricators on HV-specific constraints
• Exposure to power topologies such as inverters, converters, drives, or MV power supplies
• Exceptional attention to detail in safety-critical layout environments
• Strong documentation discipline and cross-functional communication skills

Responsibilities

• Design and develop PCB layouts for MV power electronics systems, including high-voltage, high-current, and high-power-density applications
• Apply and enforce clearance and creepage (C&C) requirements, including slotting, cutouts, coating considerations, and material selection
• Implement insulation coordination strategies based on system voltage, pollution degree, overvoltage category, and applicable safety standards
• Design with strong consideration for thermal performance, current density, electric field control, and partial discharge risk
• Support multi-layer, heavy copper, and mixed-signal power/control board designs
• Generate and release complete manufacturing packages, including Gerber files, drill files, stackups, fabrication notes, and assembly drawings
• Define PCB fabrication constraints related to high-voltage spacing, materials, and tolerances
• Collaborate with PCB fabricators and contract manufacturers during prototype and production builds
• Resolve HV-related DFM issues and ensure smooth transition from design to manufacturing
• Create, maintain, and manage BOMs for MV power electronics assemblies
• Verify component electrical ratings, insulation systems, packages, and PCB footprints
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify alternate components while maintaining required voltage and insulation margins
• Support sourcing discussions with procurement and supply chain teams
• Drive parts consolidation initiatives without compromising HV safety compliance
• Assess lifecycle, availability, and obsolescence risks
• Participate in design reviews with a focus on HV safety, C&C compliance, and manufacturability
• Support regulatory and safety compliance efforts (UL, IEC, and internal HV standards)
• Assist with ECOs, layout revisions, and documentation control
• Support prototype bring-up, validation testing, and transition to production

Benefits

• Competitive Salary + Incentive Stock Options
• Medical, vision, and dental benefits for employees and their dependents, effective from the start of hire
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employees receive paid time off (PTO), paid sick days, and paid company holidays so they can rest, recharge, and take care of their health and personal needs.
• Commuter Benefits
• 6-12 weeks 100% paid parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree