Principal Electrical Engineer- High Voltage Power

LMK Recruiting Solutions; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 325,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Health benefits

401(k)

Job summary

LMK Recruiting Solutions in Irvine, CA seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead HV power electronics for motor drives in aerospace and advanced mobility. You will own architectures, block diagrams, schematics, and the rationale behind major design decisions across 1 kW to 100 kW systems on 270 V–800 V DC buses (up to 1000 V) powered by batteries for eVTOL and similar platforms.

This hands-on role requires deep design and analysis, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and mentorship of

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering; equivalent practical experience.
• 12+ years designing and shipping power electronics with multiple motor drives or high-power converters.
• Hands-on experience with HV DC buses 270 V to 800 V (up to 1000 V).
• Expertise in inverter power stages, EMI filters, DC link sizing, and motor control fundamentals.
• Proficiency with Altium and circuit simulation tools (SPICE, PLECS, or similar).

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and design of HV motor drives for 1–3 kW and 3–100 kW classes.
• Design inverter power stages for 270 V to 800 V buses (up to 1000 V), including device selection and gate drives.
• Develop PMSM drive hardware and select sensors, sensing, and processing for FOC control.
• Lead lab bring-up, validation, and root-cause investigations in the test environment.

Skills

Power electronics

HV design

Motor control

EMI/EMC

Inverter design

GaN/SiC devices

Thermal management

Education

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

SPICE

PLECS

MATLAB

Job description

Principal Electrical Engineer, High Voltage Power Electronics for Motor Drives

Location: Irvine, CA

Position Overview

Our client is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer in Irvine, California. The Principal Engineer, High Voltage Power Electronics for Motor Drives provides technical leadership in the architecture, design, and qualification of high-voltage motor drives for aerospace and advanced mobility applications.

This is a deeply hands-on role: you will personally develop architectures, block diagrams, schematics, and the analysis behind them, owning the rationale for every major design decision across drives ranging from 1 kW to 100 kW, on DC buses from 270 V to 800 V (up to 1000 V), powered by batteries in applications such as eVTOL and turbogenerator systems.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with motor control, embedded software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and supply chain teams, providing strong technical leadership, ownership, and mentorship to other engineers without direct people management responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Architecture: Own the architecture and design of high-voltage (HV) motor drives across two key classes: 1 to 3 kW (convection-cooled) and 3 to 100 kW (liquid or forced-air cooled).
• Power Stages: Design inverter power stages for 270 V to 800 V buses (up to 1000 V), including wide-bandgap device selection (SiC, GaN, Si), gate drive circuits, protection, and sensing.
• PMSM Hardware: Develop PMSM drive hardware, applying core motor control fundamentals to select feedback sensors, current sensing, switching frequencies, and processors.
• Filtering & DC Link: Design input DM/CM filters and size DC link capacitors for ripple, stability, and lifetime durability.

EMI, Grounding & Thermal Design

• Noise Containment: Define shielding, grounding, and bonding strategies for motors, cables, and enclosures to contain switching noise.
• Integrated Units: Own thermal and EMI design for integrated motor and controller units housed within a single enclosure.
• Environmental Robustness: Select components, processors, and HV connectors suitable for high-vibration, extended-temperature aviation and defense environments.

Analysis, Validation & Qualification

• Rigorous Analysis: Personally perform loss, thermal, stress, derating, insulation, EMI, and worst-case circuit analyses.
• Layout & High dv/dt: Develop schematics and review PCB layouts for high dv/dt power stages (focusing on creepage, clearance, commutation loops, and partial discharge).
• Lab Bring-Up: Lead hands-on bring-up, validation, and root cause investigations in the lab.
• Compliance & Qualification: Support DO-160 and MIL-STD-461 qualification standards and transition designs into full-scale production.
• DFX Strategy: Drive DFM, DFT, and DFA principles; define manufacturing test requirements, coverage, and end-of-line test strategies.

Qualifications

• Education: BS or MS in Electrical Engineering or a related field (equivalent practical experience considered).
• Experience: Minimum of 12 years designing and shipping power electronics, including multiple motor drives or high-power converters.
• Power Range: Hands-on design experience spanning both low power (1 to 3 kW) and high power (up to ~100 kW).
• High Voltage: Direct experience with HV DC buses (270 V to 800 V, up to 1000 V).
• Domain Expertise: Depth in at least one relevant high-complexity field: automotive, industrial, aviation, or defense.
• Circuit Design: Expertise in inverter power stages, component selection, gate drives, DC link sizing, and EMI filter design.
• Motor Control Fundamentals: Working knowledge of PMSM drives, Field-Oriented Control (FOC), feedback sensors, and current sensing.
• Noise Mitigation: Strong grounding, shielding, and noise containment practices for motor, cable, and enclosure systems.
• Tools: Proficiency with Altium (or equivalent EDA software) and circuit simulation tools (SPICE, PLECS, or similar).

Preferred Experience

• Advanced SiC or GaN power stage design at high dv/dt and high switching frequencies.
• Electric propulsion, eVTOL, hybrid-electric, or turbogenerator systems.
• Integrated motor and controller designs sharing a single enclosure and cooling system.
• Insulation coordination and partial discharge analysis at high altitude for aircraft high-voltage systems.
• High-voltage connectors and harnesses for high-vibration, extended-temperature aviation/defense environments.
• Familiarity with industry standards such as DO-160, DO-254, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-704, ARP4754B, or similar.
• Python or MATLAB for analysis, test automation, or script development.
• Fault-tolerant, high-reliability system design.

What Our Client Values

• Engineers who have repeatedly designed and shipped power electronics products to production.
• A blend of first-principles analytical depth and practical, hands-on execution.
• Clear, defendable rationale behind every selected component and design decision.
• High standards for reliability, manufacturability, and cost discipline.
• Technical leadership demonstrated through mentorship and influence rather than formal management authority.
• Comfort operating in ambiguous environments while bringing clarity and structure to the team.

Why Join Our Client?

• Collaborate alongside elite engineering talent and innovators from across the aerospace and technology sectors.
• Be part of an agile team moving significantly faster than legacy industry standards.
• Shape next-generation solutions that are lower-cost, autonomous, scalable, and crucial to the future of aviation.
• Competitive Compensation: Base Salary Range $210,000 - $325,000 USD (Final compensation depends on role scope, experience, skills, location, and internal equity).
• Comprehensive benefits package including equity participation, health, vision, dental, 401(k), and growth opportunities.