Power Electronics Engineer – Hardware Design & Validation

ARi; Peoria (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Job summary

ARi, a leading engineering firm based in East Peoria, IL, seeks a Power Electronics Engineer to design, validate, and bring up high‑power hardware such as Gate Driver Boards and Power Boards. You will work across controls, mechanical, and supplier teams, performing DPT, thermal, and fault testing while refining schematics and layouts.

The role requires hands‑on expertise with high‑voltage/current systems, experience reviewing PCB layouts, and proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink or LTspice.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years hands-on power electronics hardware design, or 3+ with Master’s.
• Experience with high-voltage/high-current hardware and MD/BD testing.
• Proficiency with Altium Designer, MATLAB/Simulink, LTspice or PLECS.
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate power electronics hardware (GDB, Power Boards).
• Develop schematics, review PCB layouts, and support hardware bring-up.
• Perform hardware validation: DPT, switching characterization, thermal & fault testing.
• Analyze waveforms, gate signals, losses, protection, and desaturation behavior.
• Collaborate with controls, mechanical, manufacturing, and supplier teams.
• Prepare validation reports and design review documentation.

Skills

Gate Driver Boards

Power Electronics

DPT testing

Oscilloscopes

PCB layout review

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Associate degree with 10+ years experience

Tools

Altium Designer

MATLAB/Simulink

LTspice

PLECS

Job description

Power Electronics Engineer - Hardware Design & Validation

ARi, headquartered in East Peoria, IL, USA, is a rapidly expanding global engineering enterprise. The essence of our "i" symbolizes our distinctiveness from competitors - an embodiment of innovation, intelligence, ingenuity, and insight. Boasting a diverse team of over 1,500 engineering experts hailing from various nations and cultures across the globe, we are excellently poised to provide intricate and personalized resolutions to our esteemed clients.

• Design, develop, and validate power electronics hardware including Gate Driver Boards (GDB), Power Boards, interface circuits, protection circuits, and current/voltage sensing circuits.
• Develop schematics, review PCB layouts, and support hardware bring-up for high-voltage and high-current power conversion systems.
• Select, qualify, and validate power electronic components including IGBT modules, SiC devices, isolated gate drivers, current sensors, and power supplies.
• Develop and execute hardware validation plans including Double Pulse Testing (DPT), switching characterization, thermal testing, fault-condition testing, and commissioning activities.
• Analyze switching waveforms, gate signals, switching losses, current sharing, voltage overshoot, desaturation behavior, and protection circuit performance.
• Perform hands-on laboratory testing using oscilloscopes, differential probes, current probes, thermal cameras, power analyzers, and data acquisition systems.
• Investigate hardware failures and perform root cause analysis of inverter, gate driver, and power module issues including shoot-through events, false turn-on, over-voltage, over-current, and thermal failures.
• Correlate laboratory test results with simulations and analytical models to improve product performance and reliability.
• Collaborate with controls, validation, mechanical, manufacturing, PCB layout, and supplier teams throughout product development.
• Support prototype builds, production launches, supplier technical reviews, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), and Design for Testability (DFT) initiatives.
• Prepare technical documentation including validation reports, test procedures, engineering change documentation, and design review presentations.

Required Skills

• Strong hands-on experience designing and validating Gate Driver Boards (GDB) and Power Boards for high-power applications.
• Experience with IGBT and SiC power devices, including switching behavior, protection circuits, desaturation protection, active clamping, and false turn-on mitigation.
• Experience designing, debugging, and validating power electronics hardware for inverter, converter, motor drive, UPS, BESS, renewable energy, or similar applications.
• Hands-on experience performing Double Pulse Testing (DPT), switching characterization, thermal testing, fault testing, and power electronics validation.
• Proficiency using laboratory equipment including oscilloscopes, differential probes, high-current probes, thermal imaging cameras, power analyzers, and DAQ systems.
• Experience troubleshooting hardware failures using waveform analysis and root cause investigation techniques.
• Strong understanding of power converter topologies, thermal management, protection circuits, EMI/EMC design, creepage and clearance requirements, and electrical safety.
• Experience reviewing schematics and PCB layouts using Altium Designer or equivalent ECAD tools.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, LTspice, or similar simulation tools.
• Experience with DFMEA, reliability engineering, design validation, and prototype development.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Education / Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline required.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in power electronics hardware design, development, and validation, or 3+ years with a Master’s degree.
• Associate degree with 10+ years of directly related power electronics hardware experience will also be considered.
• Experience developing power electronics hardware for medium- or high-voltage applications is preferred.
• Experience with utility-scale power conversion systems, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), renewable energy systems, motor drives, UPS, or inverter platforms is highly preferred.
• Experience supporting products through the full development lifecycle, from prototype through production release, is preferred.
• Experience working with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and cross-functional engineering teams in a product development environment is highly desirable.

The Benefits of Working at ARi

At ARi, our commitment to our employees goes beyond the workplace, ensuring comprehensive benefits. From day one, full-time employees enjoy group health, dental, and life insurance coverage. Additionally, vision coverage is accessible starting the following month.

Recognizing the significance of rejuvenation, we provide paid time off, sick days, company holidays, and maternity/paternity leave to our full-time staff. In times of loss, we also offer bereavement support. Furthermore, a

401(k) program is maintained for eligible employees.