HITL Engineer

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

Job summary

Quest Global in Erie, PA seeks a HITL Design & Maintenance Engineer to support development and validation of real-time simulation environments for power electronics, including IGBT, SCR and SiC in inverter/converter applications.

You will design HIL systems, develop MATLAB/Simulink plant models, integrate with Opal-RT/Speedgoat/dSPACE, test inverter controller software, and ensure traceability to software requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical/Electronics/Mechatronics or related STEM field.
• 3–5 years of experience designing HIL systems and performing real-time simulation.
• Strong proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for model-based development.

Responsibilities

• Architect and maintain HIL systems for embedded controller validation.
• Develop plant models using MATLAB/Simulink.
• Integrate models with real-time platforms (Opal-RT, Speedgoat, dSPACE).
• Ensure robust interfaces and signal conditioning for I/O.
• Diagnose issues in real-time execution and model fidelity.
• Maintain documentation of system configurations and procedures.
• Design test plans for inverter controller software with HIL platforms.
• Analyze test results and support debugging of control algorithms.

Skills

HIL system design

MATLAB/Simulink

Real-time simulation

Opal-RT

Inverter/Converter control

CAN/SPI/UART/Ethernet

Education

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

Tools

Opal-RT

RT-LAB

Simulink Real-Time

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 (SCR), 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.