Failure Analysis Engineer

Solaredge; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Solaredge is seeking a Failure Analysis Engineer in Milpitas, CA, to investigate and diagnose power electronic hardware failures. You will create custom test setups, conduct experiments, and make recommendations based on your findings to improve product reliability.

The ideal candidate has a degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, solid knowledge of power electronics, and hands-on experience in a lab environment. A rich diversity of thought and experiences is welcome at Solaredge.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of power electronics and circuit behavior.
• Proven hands-on hardware testing and validation experience.
• Excellent analytical skills for troubleshooting.
• Comfortable working in physically demanding environments.

Responsibilities

• Own failure investigations on power electronic hardware.
• Create tailored investigation plans for various failures.
• Build and modify custom test setups for testing.
• Operate lab equipment and interpret results accurately.
• Translate findings into actionable reports for engineering teams.

Skills

Power electronics knowledge

Debugging and testing hardware

Safety practices (LOTO, arc flash)

Troubleshooting skills

Mechanical intuition

Education

Degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscope

Power analyzer

Thermal camera

Job description

Join a fast-moving engineering team where your curiosity, grit, and hands-on problem-solving skills will directly improve the reliability of power electronics in the field. We are looking for a Failure Analysis Engineer who loves digging into tough hardware problems, building creative test setups, and turning complex failures into clear technical answers.

This is not a sit-back-and-follow-the-checklist role. You will own investigations end to end, move quickly from evidence to insight, and work closely with engineering teams to help make products stronger, safer, and more reliable. If you are energized by mystery-solving, high-voltage hardware, and the chance to make a visible impact, this role is built for you.

Location

Milpitas, CA

Duties and Responsibilities

• Take ownership of failure investigations on power electronic hardware, including field returns, prototype failures, and in-lab anomalies.
• Create smart, practical investigation plans tailored to each failure mode, deciding what to test, measure, inspect, and validate.
• Investigate and characterize failures across power conversion topologies including DC-DC converters, isolated buck converters, dual active bridge (DAB), inverters, and related power electronic circuits.
• Build, modify, and troubleshoot custom test setups from the ground up, including wiring, soldering, crimping, instrumentation, and fixture configuration.
• Operate and interpret results from lab equipment: oscilloscopes, power analyzers, curve tracers, function generators, thermal cameras, and high-voltage power supplies.
• Conduct materials-level analysis including cross-sectioning, metallographic inspection, and examination of thermal and mechanical damage.
• Work safely and confidently on systems up to 690V while following rigorous electrical safety practices, including LOTO, arc flash awareness, and energized-equipment protocols.
• Support investigations in varied physical environments, including equipment rooms and elevated platforms, with the ability to lift and maneuver heavy equipment as needed.
• Translate findings into crisp, actionable reports that help design, reliability, and engineering teams move faster and make better decisions.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent hands‑on experience, vocational training, or self-taught expertise in electronics will also be strongly considered.
• Relentless curiosity and the drive to chase root cause until the technical story is clear, complete, and defensible.
• Solid working knowledge of power electronics, including switching behavior, magnetics, gate drive circuits, thermal management, and common power conversion topologies.
• Hands‑on experience debugging, testing, and validating real hardware in the lab, not just analyzing circuits on paper or in simulation.
• Confidence building and adapting test setups independently, including soldering THT and SMD components, crimping terminals, routing wiring, and selecting the right equipment for the job.
• Strong safety background and demonstrated experience working confidently on low‑voltage systems up to 690V — including LOTO, arc flash awareness, and safe practices around energized equipment.
• Comfort working at heights and in physically demanding environments, including the ability to lift and maneuver heavy equipment.
• Familiarity with materials or metallurgical analysis, such as cross‑sectioning, failure‑surface inspection, SEM, or similar methods, is a strong plus.
• Strong mechanical intuition, whether developed through formal training, machining, mechanical design, fabrication, motorsports, model building, or other hands‑on technical work.
• A self‑starter mindset with the ability to prioritize, make sound technical calls, and keep momentum without waiting for step‑by‑step direction.

FAIR PAY & A JUST WORKPLACE

SolarEdge proudly seeks to build a richly diverse workforce by hiring people with a diversity of thoughts, identities, perspectives, and experiences that help advance the difference we make for consumers, and by ensuring our people experience equity and inclusion in their work lives. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, LGBTQIA people, people of color, and people with disabilities.