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Physics World · 3 weeks ago

Power Electronics Engineer - Laser and Experimental Systems

Livermore, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$141K/yr - $214K/yr

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is dedicated to strengthening the United States' security through innovative engineering solutions. The Power Electronics Engineer will design and develop advanced power electronics hardware, supporting various programs including high-energy laser systems and fusion energy projects.

Publishing

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Work under limited direction with moderate responsibility, use comprehensive knowledge, and exercise independent judgment to determine methods and recommend improvements within established frameworks and contribute to the fulfillment of project and organizational goals

Provide engineering support to design, simulate, and prototype critical power electronics circuits, including offline power converters, DC/DC, and DC/AC converters for high-energy laser systems

Contribute to the evaluation and selection of solid-state power semiconductor devices (e.g., SiC, GaN, thyristors, IGBTs, MOSFETs) for robust, high-reliability applications

Develop and implement moderately complex control algorithms for power converters using microcontrollers or DSPs

Design and test magnetics (inductors, transformers); perform thermal analysis and design cooling solutions for high-power systems

Participate in debugging and troubleshooting hardware prototypes, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to make recommendations and provide solutions to resolve technical issues

Collaborate closely with physicists, mechanical engineers, and software engineers to support the delivery of integrated solutions for pulsed power, fusion energy, and laser-driven experiments

Participate in documenting technical designs, creating schematics, authoring test procedures and formal reports, and defining and recommending process improvements

Uphold the highest standards of personnel and facility safety during experiments and testing

Present technical results and recommendations in peer reviews and stakeholder meetings

Perform other duties as assigned

Function independently with minimal direction, taking significant responsibility and using advanced knowledge and judgment to establish objectives, prioritize parallel tasks, allocate resources, and collaborate in the development of innovative methods/technology to guide the completion of projects and contribute to the development of organizational goals

Lead and participate in multi-disciplinary design and peer reviews to ensure safety and technical soundness of a diverse range of complex experiments, hardware, and data acquisition systems

Provide technical guidance to external contractors fabricating complex custom electrical equipment and experimental assemblies

Guide the completion of a project, establish project objectives and strategy, and influence technical direction by applying high-level technical concepts and techniques to drive successful outcomes for deliverables

Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the development and implementation of best practices in power electronics design and testing

Qualification

Power converter topologiesPulsed power systemsComputational modelingHardware prototypingMicrocontrollersHigh-voltage systemsTechnical communicationTeam collaborationProblem-solvingMentoring

Required

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related technical field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience

Comprehensive knowledge of power converter topologies (e.g., buck, boost, H-bridge, resonant converters, etc.)

Comprehensive knowledge of, practical experience with, and demonstrated proficiency in one or more of the following areas: pulsed power, EV charging, power modulation/switching, grounding and shielding in a harsh EMI environment, or diagnostics/instrumentation systems associated with these areas

Experience and proficiency in performing moderately complex computational modeling and analysis to understand and predict system performance using modeling tools such as SPICE, MATLAB, and/or COMSOL

Applied experience with hardware prototyping, soldering, and testing using lab equipment (e.g., oscilloscopes, power analyzers, spectrum analyzers)

Experience working effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment managing multiple tasks, projects, and priorities

Proficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment, including the ability to prepare technical reports, deliver presentations, and explain technical information

Significant experience in designing, building, testing, and operating complex high-power offline power converters or high-voltage pulsed power systems

Demonstrated experience effectively leading design reviews and providing technical guidance to teams

Significant experience interacting and cooperating with all levels of technical staff, managers, and vendors

Significant experience defining scope from often not well defined and/or rapidly changing requirements, including demonstrated ability and flexibility in reprioritizing and changing programmatic direction depending on emergent needs