Senior Power Electronics Control Engineer

Canadian Solar Inc.; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Canadian Solar Inc. is seeking a Senior Power Electronics Control Engineer to lead Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop validation for PCS and inverter control in our Inverter Firmware group, based in Kitchener, ON. You will own the HIL environment and develop real‑time models for grids, batteries, and protection interfaces.

You will design and execute tests, validate firmware algorithms, and ensure grid‑code compliance. This role requires 5+ years in HIL/real‑time work, MATLAB/Simulink expertise, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of professional experience in HIL testing, real‑time simulation, or PCS/inverter validation.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD or model‑based design workflows.
• Experience developing automated regression frameworks for inverter validation.
• Experience supporting product development subject to IEC/UL/IEEE grid‑interconnection standards.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) test environments for PCS and inverter control validation.
• Build real‑time PCS simulation models, including grid models, filters, transformers, battery models, and protection interfaces.
• Develop and validate inverter control algorithm firmware, protection strategies, and system behaviors under normal and abnormal operating conditions.
• Execute test cases covering grid-code compliant functionalities prior to certification testing.
• Support grid code compliance activities through documented test results and traceability.
• Expand scope of HIL platform to cover other equipment, technologies and system according to future development plan.
• Develop automated HIL test scripts and regression test suites to support continuous firmware and control validation.
• Integrate HIL testing into development workflows and release processes.
• Debug complex control and system‑level issues using real‑time waveforms, logs, and simulation data.
• Maintain professional documentation for HIL architectures, simulation models, test plans, and validation reports.
• Support root‑cause analysis for lab and field issues by reproducing scenarios in HIL.
• Conduct testing of the PCS hardware.
• Mentor junior engineers and support product lifecycle and field issue resolution.

Skills

Real-time HIL

OPAL-RT

Typhoon HIL

dSPACE

RTDS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Advanced degree in Power Electronics

Tools

OPAL-RT

Typhoon HIL

dSPACE

RTDS

Job description

At Canadian Solar, our vision is to make lives better by bringing electricity powered by the sun to millions of people worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions, we’ve been an industry front-runner since our founding in 2001. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all parts of our organization as we navigate the complexities of a booming industry.

Throughout Canadian Solar’s subsidiaries, e-Storage, Recurrent Energy, MSS and CSI Solar Co., we invest in our employees’ growth. Our training programs and promotional opportunities ensure we all can continue to learn. We understand the importance of work-life balance and provide various flexible work options to support our employees’ well-being. Join our team to “Make the Difference” by creating a lasting positive impact on the world and the communities where we operate.

Position Title: Senior Power Electronics Control Engineer
Department: Inverter Firmware
Compensation: $95,000 - $140,000 + annual bonus
Reports To: Director of Digital Inverter Firmware
Location: Kitchener, ON (Onsite)

Who We Are

CS Digital is a digital technology startup focused on providing state-of-the-art digital technology for power solutions. Our first goal is to build a North American based inverter control board, firmware and energy station controller for the BESS industry to compliment Canadian Solar’s String Power Conversion System Medium Voltage Skid for the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) industry.

Who You Are:

The Senior Power Electronics Control Engineer, specializes in Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation and validation of Power Conversion Systems (PCS) used in utility‑scale Battery Energy Storage Systems.

This role focuses on using real‑time digital simulators to emulate grids, inverters, batteries, and power stages in order to develop and validate control firmware, system‑level behavior, protection logic, and grid‑code compliance.

You will own the PCS HIL simulation environment, bridging power electronics, control algorithms, firmware, and system requirements to enable fast, repeatable, and certifiable testing.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) test environments for PCS and inverter control validation.
• Build real‑time PCS simulation models, including grid models, filters, transformers, battery models, and protection interfaces.
• Develop and validate inverter control algorithm firmware, protection strategies, and system behaviors under normal and abnormal operating conditions.
• Execute test cases covering grid-code compliant functionalities prior to certification testing.
• Support grid code compliance activities through documented test results and traceability.
• Expand scope of HIL platform to cover other equipment, technologies and system according to future development plan.
• Develop automated HIL test scripts and regression test suites to support continuous firmware and control validation.
• Integrate HIL testing into development workflows and release processes.
• Debug complex control and system‑level issues using real‑time waveforms, logs, and simulation data.
• Maintain professional documentation for HIL architectures, simulation models, test plans, and validation reports.
• Support root‑cause analysis for lab and field issues by reproducing scenarios in HIL.
• Conduct testing of the PCS hardware.
• Mentor junior engineers and support product lifecycle and field issue resolution.

Core Competencies & Technical Skills

• Strong experience with real‑time HIL simulation for power electronics or grid‑connected systems.
• Proficiency with HIL platforms such as OPAL‑RT, Typhoon HIL, dSPACE, RTDS, or similar.
• Experience building real‑time models for inverters, batteries, power systems and protection systems.
• Understanding of real‑time execution constraints, model fidelity, and latency considerations.
• Solid background of power converter, especially inverter architectures, and energy storage systems.
• Experience with converter control loops, digital protection mechanisms, and system‑level sequencing.
• Ability to interpret control block diagrams, firmware behavior, and electrical schematics.
• Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN, Ethernet, SPI, UART, Modbus, and proprietary interfaces.
• Experience with test automation, scripting, or model‑based validation workflows.
• Familiarity with version control (GitHub/Bitbucket), documentation practices, and structured validation processes.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail in test development and result interpretation.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline. Advanced degrees in Power Electronics are preferred.
• 5+ years of professional experience in HIL testing, real‑time simulation, or PCS/inverter validation.
• Demonstrated experience validating power converters system using real-time simulators.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD or model‑based design workflows.
• Experience of power converter experimental testing in laboratory set up.
• Experience developing automated regression frameworks for inverter validation
• Experience supporting product development subject to IEC/UL / IEEE grid‑interconnection standards.
• Hands‑on experience working with cross‑functional firmware, controls, and hardware teams.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, documentation, and technical communication skills.
• Domestic and international travel ability.

e-STORAGE is Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

e-STORAGE uses AI-assisted tools during parts of the hiring process, including screening and workflow automation. All final hiring decisions are made by humans.

This is a current vacancy, and we are actively hiring for this position.

#CanadianSolar