Electrical Design Engineer

Harvey Nash; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvey Nash is seeking an Electrical Design Engineer in Mountain View, CA for a 12+ month contract, hybrid work with periodic travel to Hollister and Fremont. You will lead HV battery systems design for propulsion in eVTOL, bridging cell-level storage to aircraft power architecture.

The role requires 8+ years in high-voltage electrical design, proficiency with SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, BMS hardware, and DO-160/DO-311A familiarity.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years in electrical design for high-voltage systems.
• Proficient with SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink for transient/steady-state analysis.
• Experience with BMS hardware and isolation sensing.

Responsibilities

• Define and design HV distribution architecture (busbars, wiring, contactors, fuses).
• Lead battery module/pack electrical design including sensing and interconnects.
• Develop charging systems compatible with CCS, MCS, NACS.
• Perform electrical modeling, heat- electrical co-simulation, and fault analysis.
• Define grounding, shielding for EMI/EMC, DO-160 alignment.
• Design isolation monitoring, HV interlocks and fault protection.
• Lead verification plans including HiPot and insulation tests.

Skills

HV design

EMI EMC analysis

Battery management

ECAD tools

LTspice

DO-160

System safety

Tools

Altium

Mentor Graphics

Zuken

NX SolidWorks

Job description

Mountain View, CA - Hybrid (Periodic travel to Hollister, CA (more the next 2-3 months, average 2-3 days/week), and Fremont, CA)

12+ Months - Contract

Job Description:

We are seeking an Electrical Design Engineer to serve as a primary technical authority for our high-voltage (HV) battery systems and power distribution architectures. In this role, you will lead the electrical development of safety-critical propulsion systems for our eVTOL aircraft, bridging the gap between cell-level energy storage and aircraft-level power conversion.

As an Electrical Design Engineer, you will focus on the design, analysis, and integration of HV components, ensuring the electrical system is optimized for high power density, EMI/EMC compliance, and rigorous aerospace safety standards. You will be a key contributor to the Energy Storage and Power Systems (ESPS) team, driving the electrical architecture from conceptual trade studies to flight-certified hardware.

In This Role, You Will...

• Architect HV Power Systems: Define and design the high-voltage distribution architecture, including busbars, wiring harnesses, contactors, fuses, and power electronics interfaces.
• Design Battery Electrical Systems: Lead the electrical design of battery modules and packs, focusing on sensing (voltage/temperature), cell balancing circuits, and high-current interconnects.
• Design Battery Charging Systems. Lead the development of on-board and off-board charging systems, ensuring compatibility with high-power standards such as CCS, MCS and NACS.
• Execute Electrical Analysis: Perform detailed electrical modeling and simulation, including power budget analysis, voltage drop calculations, fault current modeling, and thermal-electrical co-simulation.
• Manage EMI/EMC & Shielding: Define grounding and shielding strategies to ensure system compatibility and compliance with aerospace electromagnetic interference standards (e.g., DO-160).
• Drive HV Safety & Protection: Design isolation monitoring, interlock circuits (HVIL), and circuit protection schemes to ensure operator safety and system resilience during fault conditions.
• Lead Validation & Testing: Design and oversee electrical verification plans, including high-current characterization, insulation resistance testing, and dielectric withstand (HiPot) validation.

What You Will Do

• Technical Lead for HV Systems: Serve as the subject matter expert for electrical physics, providing guidance on component selection (e.g., MOSFETs, IGBTs, contactors) and high-power PCB layouts.
• System-Level Optimization: Conduct trade studies to balance electrical efficiency against mass, volume, and thermal constraints in the propulsion string.
• Supplier Engagement: Draft technical specifications and Statements of Work (SOW) for HV components and sub-assemblies, managing technical deliverables from strategic partners.
• Failure Mode Analysis: Lead electrical Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify and mitigate risks such as short circuits, arc flashes, or insulation breakdown.
• Certification Support: Author technical reports and design descriptions to demonstrate compliance with aviation safety standards (ARP 4754, DO-311A, DO-160, ARP 4761)
• Previous certification experience preferred, not required.

Requirements

• Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience: 8+ years of experience in electrical design, specifically with high-voltage (>400V) systems in aerospace, EV propulsion, electric vehicle industry, or heavy transportation.
  • HV Design: Deep expertise in high-power distribution, busbar design, and creepage/clearance requirements for high-altitude environments.
  • Analysis Tools: Proficiency in SPICE (LTspice/PSpice), MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent tools for transient and steady-state electrical simulation.
  • Sensing & Control: Experience with Battery Management System (BMS) hardware, including precision voltage/current sensing and isolation circuits.
• Battery Specifics: Applied knowledge of lithium-ion cell electrical behavior, state-of-charge (SoC) estimation hardware, and cell-balancing architectures.
• Design Tools: Proficiency in ECAD tools (Altium, Mentor Graphics, or Zuken) and familiarity with MCAD (NX/SolidWorks) for harness and busbar integration.
• Regulatory Awareness: Strong familiarity with aerospace environmental and safety standards (DO-160G, DO-311A).
• Communication: Ability to distill complex electrical architectures into clear requirements for software, mechanical, and systems engineering teams.