Principal Power Electronics Engineer: End-to-End Hardware

Verterra Energy, Inc.; New Brighton (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with employer match

Unlimited PTO + 2 weeks sick leave

Job summary

Verterra Energy is seeking a Senior to Principal Electrical Engineer to own end‑to‑end power electronics development for generator-adjacent systems. You’ll work with mechanical and controls engineers to deliver practical, manufacturable hardware and robust power management.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, hands‑on build-and-test, and sound engineering judgment, with opportunities to influence test platforms, manufacturing readiness, and environmental design for real-world deployment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in hands‑on power electronics (Principal level typically 12+)
• Experience designing PCB-based power electronics in 0.5 kW–5.0 kW range
• Strong magnetics, core and thermal management knowledge
• Experience selecting/testing power semiconductor devices (MOSFET/IGBT/SiC/GaN)
• Familiarity with multiple power converter architectures and MCU/DSP integration
• Environmental design for IP-rated enclosures, sealing, encapsulation/potting, vibration handling
• Proven track record bringing power electronics to market from requirements to manufacturing

Responsibilities

• Lead power electronics design for 0.5–5.0 kW systems
• Define architecture for power conversion connected to small generators and test platforms
• Design/develop high-power PCBA schematics and layouts (Altium)
• Develop and validate converter topologies (buck/boost, DC-DC, inverter/rectifier)
• Own magnetics decisions: inductors/transformers, losses, thermal tradeoffs
• Select and test power devices and gate-drive considerations
• Create protection/reliability approaches (EMI/EMC, inrush, fault handling)
• Integrate power electronics with MCU/DSP controllers and plan firmware collaboration
• Build/bring up prototypes; perform lab debugging and verification
• Drive design-for-manufacturing with vendors and production readiness
• Ensure operation under real-world environmental conditions and IP-rated enclosures
• Evaluate third-party designs for robustness and manufacturability
• Maintain lab environment and tooling for efficient testing

Skills

Power electronics

PCB design

Thermal management

MCU/DSP control

Altium

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Altium

Oscilloscopes

LabVIEW

Job description

Verterra Energy is seeking a Senior to Principal Electrical Engineer to own end‑to‑end power electronics development for generator-adjacent systems. You’ll work with mechanical and controls engineers to deliver practical, manufacturable hardware and robust power management.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, hands‑on build-and-test, and sound engineering judgment, with opportunities to influence test platforms, manufacturing readiness, and environmental design for real-world deployment.