R&D Test Engineer - Electrical Power Systems

NextGenEnergyJobs; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

NextGenEnergyJobs is seeking an R&D Test Engineer - Electrical Power Systems to design and build test equipment for energizing superconducting magnets and to help shape new testing facilities.

You will develop test plans, document requirements and safety assessments, troubleshoot integration issues, and lead data-driven analyses to improve test efficiency and scalability of test infrastructure across projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or science field (Electrical/Mechanical) required.
• 5+ years designing/building/commissioning specialized electrical apparatus.
• 2+ years using electrical analysis software such as PLECS, LTSPICE, ETAP, Simulink.
• Familiarity with electrical standards and safety practices (NEC/NFPA 70, OSHA, NFPA 70E, IEC, IEEE).
• Experience with high-power electronics and energy storage devices.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Willingness to travel or work nights/weekends/on-call occasionally.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Safety-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, review, procure and build test equipment for energizing superconducting magnets.
• Contribute to ground-up design of electrical testing infrastructure in new testing facilities
• Develop test plans highlighting the test objectives, key data that are needed and the instrumentation and controls necessary to obtain this data. Ensure data is reliable
• Understand, challenge and maintain well-documented requirements and risks for the system or component under test
• Identify and mitigate safety hazards associated with test equipment. Produce safety documentation such as job hazard assessments and test readiness reviews
• Maintain documentation, schedule and budgets for the test campaign. Documentation includes: design reviews, wiring lists, P&IDs, schematics, CAD assemblies, drawings, and operations software
• Troubleshoot and resolve integration and test discrepancies during build, commissioning and operation
• Iterate on designs, equipment and operations for repeat tests to improve test efficiency
• Perform analyses for the system predicting results and develop custom tools to analyze generated data. Compile test results clearly for review
• Lead anomaly investigations and their resolution, and present results to a team of physicists and engineers
• Execute plans for future expansion, including capital equipment and floor layouts, always having a vision for scalability of systems into a larger context. Provide visions for multi-use test infrastructure that can be scaled for multiple applications

Skills

Electrical engineering fundamentals

Test equipment design

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Communication

Safety compliance

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or science (Electrical/Mechanical)

Tools

PLECS

LTSPICE

ETAP

Simulink

Job description

R&D Test Engineer - Electrical Power Systems

• Design, analyze, review, procure and build test equipment for energizing superconducting magnets
• Contribute to ground-up design of electrical testing infrastructure in new testing facilities
• Develop test plans highlighting the test objectives, key data that are needed and the instrumentation and controls necessary to obtain this data. Ensure data is reliable
• Understand, challenge and maintain well-documented requirements and risks for the system or component under test
• Identify and mitigate safety hazards associated with test equipment. Produce safety documentation such as job hazard assessments and test readiness reviews
• Maintain documentation, schedule and budgets for the test campaign. Documentation includes: design reviews, wiring lists, P&IDs, schematics, CAD assemblies, drawings, and operations software
• Troubleshoot and resolve integration and test discrepancies during build, commissioning and operation
• Iterate on designs, equipment and operations for repeat tests to improve test efficiency
• Perform analyses for the system predicting results and develop custom tools to analyze generated data. Compile test results clearly for review
• Lead anomaly investigations and their resolution, and present results to a team of physicists and engineers
• Execute plans for future expansion, including capital equipment and floor layouts, always having a vision for scalability of systems into a larger context. Provide visions for multi-use test infrastructure that can be scaled for multiple applications

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or science field is required; electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or similar, or applied physics degree
• 5+ years experience designing/building/commissioning specialized electrical apparatus or equipment
• 2+ years using electrical analysis software such as PLECS, LTSPICE, ETAP, Simulink or similar
• Aptitude for applying electromagnetic fundamentals to understand system behavior, such as: parasitic inductance/capacitance, EMI coupling, dielectric breakdown, etc
• Familiarity with electrical standards such as building codes (NEC/NFPA 70), personnel safety (OSHA, NFPA 70E), equipment safety standards (IEC, IEEE, etc)
• Experience working with high-power electronics, such as rectifiers, DC/DC converters, inverters, etc
• Experience working with stored energy devices such as batteries and supercapacitors
• Excellent troubleshooting/problem-solving skills with great attention to detail
• Strong desire to improve efficiency and throughput of processes
• Effective at communicating technical topics to both technical and non-technical audiences
• High self-motivation and drive to execute quickly
• A can-do attitude and an eagerness to learn
• Collaboration skills including active listening and facilitating a productive discourse on problems
• Ability to innovate creative solutions to challenging problems
• Willingness to challenge the status quo in search of better, more efficient methods
• Experience with designing and commissioning new test facilities
• Experience with developing and executing test procedures
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
• Perform activities such as stooping, climbing, typing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time
• Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, and cryogenics
• Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally