Power Electronics Engineer

northwoodspace; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 153,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space seeks an Electrical Engineer (Power Electronics) to own Prism’s power conversion and distribution electronics. You will take power systems from architecture through prototype, testing, and production, enabling reliable operation in fielded high‑throughput satellite links.

This hands‑on role requires designing, building, and debugging power electronics that support high power RF hardware and related subsystems, with emphasis on durability and EMI/EMC compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• 3–5+ years of power electronics hardware design experience.
• Hands-on experience designing switched‑mode power converters (hundreds of watts or more).
• Experience taking power hardware from schematic through bring‑up and debug in the lab.
• Proficiency with circuit simulation tools (LTspice, PLECS, SIMetrix).
• Comfort with power electronics test equipment (oscilloscopes, electronic loads, probes).

Responsibilities

• Design power electronics for Prism including AC-DC and DC-DC conversion and high‑power RF drive supplies.
• Define power architecture and drive trades across efficiency, thermal load, reliability, and cost.
• Design load switching, sequencing, and protection schemes with fault detection and recovery.
• Perform schematic capture, PCB layout oversight, and bring‑up of power hardware.
• Build models to verify performance: stability, transient response, and efficiency.
• Define interfaces between power system and RF, digital, and motion control loads.
• Qualify designs through environmental and EMI/EMC testing.

Skills

Power electronics

Circuit simulation

System bring-up

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Tools

LTspice

PLECS

SIMetrix

Job description

About Northwood:

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role:

As an Electrical Engineer (Power Electronics), you will own the power conversion and distribution electronics for Prism, Northwood's 2.4 meter parabolic antenna for high-throughput satellite links. You will design the power systems that feed Prism's high power RF hardware and support electronics, taking them from architecture through prototype, testing, and production. This is a hands‑on role for someone who has designed, built, and debugged power electronics that have to run reliably in the field.

Responsibilities:

• Design power electronics for Prism, including AC-DC and DC-DC conversion, power distribution, and the supplies that drive high power RF amplifiers
• Define Prism's power architecture and drive system trades across efficiency, thermal load, reliability, cost, and deployment speed
• Design load switching, sequencing, and power path protection schemes, including fault detection and recovery
• Perform schematic capture, PCB layout oversight, and bring‑up of power hardware
• Build circuit and system models to analyze and verify power system performance, including stability, transient response, and efficiency
• Define interfaces between the power system and Prism's RF, digital, and motion control loads
• Qualify designs through environmental and EMI/EMC testing

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related engineering discipline
• 3-5+ years of power electronics hardware design experience
• Hands‑on experience designing switched‑mode power converters (buck, boost, flyback, LLC, or similar) at hundreds of watts or more
• Experience taking power hardware from schematic and layout through bring‑up, characterization, and debug in the lab
• Proficiency with circuit simulation tools such as LTspice, PLECS, or SIMetrix
• Comfort with power electronics test equipment, including oscilloscopes with differential and current probes, electronic loads, and power analyzers

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering with a focus on power electronics
• Kilowatt‑class AC-DC and isolated DC-DC converter design, including power factor correction
• Drain supply and bias design for GaN RF power amplifiers, including sequencing and low‑ripple regulation
• Protection circuitry design, including hot‑swap, inrush limiting, overcurrent, and reverse‑polarity protection
• Input filter design and control loop compensation for converter stability
• Surge, lightning, and transient protection for grid‑connected outdoor equipment
• Magnetics design and wide‑bandgap (GaN, SiC) power stage design
• Motor drive power electronics for antenna positioners or motion control systems
• Thermal design and EMI/EMC mitigation for high‑density power hardware
• Design for manufacturing, production test development, and reliability qualification

Compensation:

• Electrical Engineer/Level 2: $104,000-$130,000 per year
• Electrical Engineer/Level 3: $122,400-$153,000 per year

Additional Information:

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.