Senior Power Electronics Engineer

ABB; Auckland; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ABB in New Zealand seeks a Senior Power Electronics Engineer to lead high-power converter design and validation for UPS and energy storage. You will mentor engineers, drive DFMEA, and collaborate across multi-site teams to deliver reliable, compliant solutions on-site in Auckland or Napier with occasional travel.

You will guide concepts through production, define architectures, run simulations, and oversee lab tests to achieve high performance and safety in power electronics for critical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in power electronics design and development.
• Strong expertise in three-phase multi-megawatt power systems, converter topologies and energy storage.
• Extensive experience with SPICE, PLECS, MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of power semiconductors, magnetics, filters, thermal design and protection.
• Proven ability to lead complex engineering projects from concept to production.
• Strong English communication and cross-functional collaboration across sites.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to Hawkes Bay if based in Auckland.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of high-power electronic converter systems and define architectures.
• Review designs, calculations, simulations, test plans; mentor junior engineers.
• Develop power converter topologies for UPS and energy storage using IGBT, SiC, GaN.
• Lead modelling, validation strategies, and oversee lab testing for performance and safety.
• Lead root cause investigations and drive corrective actions to improve reliability.
• Contribute to IP development and ensure standards compliance (UL, IEC, RoHS, REACH).

Skills

Power electronics

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

English communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related discipline

Tools

SPICE

PLECS

MATLAB/Simulink

PSCAD

Job description

At ABB, we help industries run leaner and cleaner—and every person here makes that happen. You’ll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world.

This position reports to:

Chapter Lead (ELSP Pilot)

Your Role And Responsibilities

In this role, you'll help run what runs the world, by taking on meaningful work that drives real impact. We are seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Power Electronics Engineer to join our Electrification business and lead the development of advanced power conversion and power quality solutions. This role will be responsible for technical leadership, design, validation, and continuous improvement of high-power electronic systems supporting critical industrial, utility, renewable energy, data center, and infrastructure applications.

You will work across the full product lifecycle, from concept development and system architecture through design, testing, industrialization, and field support. This is an excellent opportunity to help shape the next generation of power quality and energy management solutions while working with industry-leading technologies.

The work model for this role is onsite in either Auckland or Napier.

This role is contributing to the Critical Power product group in New Zealand.

You will be mainly accountable for:

• Lead the design and development of high-power electronic converter systems, defining system architectures, converter control strategies, and technical solutions while conducting DFMEA activities to identify and mitigate potential failure modes early in the development process.
• Review and approve designs, calculations, simulations, and test plans, while driving decision-making across multidisciplinary engineering teams and mentoring junior engineers to strengthen overall team capability.
• Develop power converter topologies (VSI, CSI, etc.) for UPS and energy storage systems, including power stage design and analysis using IGBT, SiC, and GaN semiconductor technologies.
• Lead modelling and simulation activities (SPICE, PLECS, MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD, or equivalent), define validation strategies, and oversee laboratory testing to ensure products meet performance, reliability, safety, and compliance requirements.
• Lead root cause investigations, drive corrective and preventive actions, and identify opportunities for performance improvements, cost reductions, and reliability enhancements.
• Contribute to intellectual property development and drive compliance with applicable standards and regulations, including UL, IEC, RoHS, REACH, and other customer requirements.

Our team dynamics

You will join a dynamic and high-performing technical team within the Critical Power division. As a Senior Power Electronics Engineer, you will be part of an Agile Team, report to the Chapter Leader and collaborate with a diverse group of power electronics specialists, control systems engineers, and mechanical engineers. You will have the opportunity to mentor junior engineers and contribute to their professional development, while working across multi-site teams to deliver world-class solutions. This collaborative environment values technical innovation, continuous learning, and cross-functional partnerships that drive product excellence.

Qualifications For The Role

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related discipline, with minimum 8+ years of experience in power electronics design and development.
• Strong expertise in three-phase multi-megawatt power systems, power converter topologies, grid-connected power electronic applications, and power quality and energy storage systems.
• Extensive experience with simulation and modelling tools such as SPICE, PLECS, MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of power semiconductor devices, magnetics, filters and harmonics, thermal design, and protection systems.
• Proven ability to lead complex engineering projects from concept to production.
• Strong communication skills in English, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and technical domains.
• Significant experience in working within multi-site and large engineering teams.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to the Hawkes Bay region if based in Auckland.

More About Us

ABB’s Critical Power product group, within the Smart Power Division, is a global leader in advanced UPS and energy storage solutions serving mission-critical applications worldwide. We protect the world’s most demanding operations—from data centers and semiconductor fabrication plants to pharmaceutical manufacturing, cable production, aerospace facilities, and critical infrastructure. Our solutions enable 24/7 uptime and energy efficiency for the world’s largest hyperscale data centers and enterprise customers, directly supporting the digital transformation of society.

Our engineering expertise spans over 50 years of innovation in power conversion technology. We design and deploy cutting-edge UPS systems ranging from 150 kVA to 3,000+ kVA, featuring advanced modular architectures and the latest energy storage technologies including traditional VRLA batteries, next-generation lithium-ion solutions, and innovative nickel-zinc battery systems. Our products achieve industry-leading efficiency exceeding 95-99%, with exceptional reliability standards including full online double-conversion architecture and redundant modular designs for mission-critical applications.

The Napier facility is home to our power electronics engineering hub and represents ABB’s commitment to innovation in the Asia-Pacific region. We are actively developing next-generation technologies to support the global energy transition, including PowerExchanger grid support services that unlock revenue streams from UPS energy storage assets and enable broader renewable energy integration. Our focus on sustainability is evidenced by our comprehensive portfolio of environmentally certified solutions and our commitment to helping customers achieve their carbon reduction targets.

Building a cleaner, smarter future takes all kinds of minds: the curious, the courageous, and the creative. That’s why we welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences.