HITL Engineer

Quest Global; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Quest Global is seeking a HITL Design & Maintenance Engineer to support the development and ongoing maintenance of real-time simulation environments for validating control software in power electronic systems.

The role emphasizes HIL design for inverter and converter platforms using IGBT/SCR/SiC technologies, with MATLAB/Simulink models and testing on real-time platforms such as Opal-RT, Speedgoat, or dSPACE.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Electronics, Mechatronics, or a related STEM discipline.
• 3–5 years of experience working on HIL system design and real-time simulation.
• Strong proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for model-based development tasks.
• Hands-on experience with Opal-RT or comparable real-time simulation platforms.
• Solid understanding of inverter and converter control, particularly with IGBT, SCR, and SiC device technologies.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols, including CAN, SPI, UART, and Ethernet.
• Experience in testing embedded software within power electronics applications.
• Experience working with Simulink Real-Time or RT-LAB environments.
• Knowledge in sensor and actuator emulation techniques.

Responsibilities

• Architect and maintain HIL systems to support validation of embedded controllers.
• Develop plant models using MATLAB/Simulink that accurately represent various power converter topologies.
• Integrate developed models with real-time simulation platforms such as Opal-RT, Speedgoat, or dSPACE.
• Ensure reliable hardware interfaces, including signal conditioning and I/O mapping.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align HIL setups with control and software requirements.
• Diagnose and resolve issues related to real-time execution and model fidelity.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for system configurations and update procedures.
• Design and execute detailed test plans for inverter controller software leveraging HIL platforms.
• Analyse test results and support debugging of control algorithms and embedded code.
• Ensure complete traceability between software requirements and HIL test coverage.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink

HIL design

Real-time simulation

Embedded software testing

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical/Electronics/Mechatronics

Tools

Opal-RT

Speedgoat

dSPACE

Simulink Real-Time

RT-LAB

Job description

The HITL Design & Maintenance Engineer plays a crucial role in supporting the development and ongoing maintenance of real-time simulation environments intended for validating control software within power electronic systems. The primary focus of this position is on systems that utilise Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCRs), and the latest Silicon Carbide (SiC) technologies, particularly in inverter and converter applications. Alongside designing Hardware-In-Loop systems, the engineer is tasked with testing and validating inverter controller software, ensuring that all deliverables meet robust performance standards and comply with specified system requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and maintain HIL systems to support validation of embedded controllers.
• Develop plant models using MATLAB/Simulink that accurately represent various power converter topologies.
• Integrate developed models with real-time simulation platforms such as Opal-RT, Speedgoat, or dSPACE.
• Ensure reliable hardware interfaces, including implementation of signal conditioning and mapping of input/output signals.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure HIL setups are aligned with control and software requirements.
• Diagnose and resolve issues related to real-time execution and the fidelity of simulation models.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for system configurations and update procedures as needed.
• Design and execute detailed test plans for inverter controller software, leveraging HIL platforms for thorough validation.
• Analyse test results and provide support for debugging control algorithms and embedded code.
• Ensure complete traceability between software requirements and HIL test coverage.

What You Will Bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Electronics, Mechatronics, or a related STEM discipline.
• 3–5 years of experience working on HIL system design and real-time simulation.
• Strong proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for model-based development tasks.
• Hands-on experience with Opal-RT or comparable real-time simulation platforms.
• Solid understanding of inverter and converter control, particularly with IGBT, SCR, and SiC device technologies.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols, including CAN, SPI, UART, and Ethernet.
• Experience in testing embedded software within power electronics applications.
• Experience working with Simulink Real-Time or RT-LAB environments.
• Knowledge in sensor and actuator emulation techniques.
• Background in Locomotive Drives, Locomotive electrical controls, industrial drives, automotive systems, or renewable energy domains.
• Familiarity with software testing frameworks and version control systems.

Work Requirements:

This role is considered an on-site position located in Erie, PA.

• You must be able to commute to and from the location with your own transportation arrangements to meet the required working hours.
• Shop floor environment, which may include but not limited to extensive walking, and ability to lift up to 40 lbs.