Senior Failure Analysis Engineer, Medium Voltage Transformers and Switchgear

SMA America; United States; Remote; USD 106,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work within the United States

Health, dental, vision coverage

Job summary

SMA America in Rocklin, CA is hiring a Senior Failure Analysis Engineer to lead field investigations on medium voltage transformers, switchgear, and converters. You will apply evidence-based root cause analysis and 8D methodologies across global teams, driving corrective actions with service, supplier, and customer stakeholders.

The role requires hands-on testing, data interpretation, and the ability to travel up to 30% to customer sites and the Rocklin office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering; Master’s preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of R&D, failure analysis, and quality engineering experience.
• Hands-on field failure investigations on MV equipment required.
• Ability to identify failure mechanisms using site evidence and tests.
• Experience with 8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa, and Pareto tools.
• Willingness to travel 20–30%.

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on field failure investigations on MV equipment (site inspection, testing, teardown).
• Perform technical failure analyses to determine root causes.
• Apply the 8D method for corrective action.
• Ensure analyses meet standards and stakeholder requirements.
• Provide technical consultation and collaborate cross‑functionally.
• Document failure descriptions and support remediation with HQ.
• Identify known failure patterns and advise resolution.
• Work with global teams to implement preventive actions.
• Monitor effectiveness of actions with service and suppliers.
• Collaborate with Customer Quality, Supplier Quality, and regional teams.
• Maintain collaboration with SMA HQ analysis unit and US application engineering.
• Travel to customer sites and Rocklin, CA for investigations and events.

Skills

Field investigation

Root cause analysis

8D method

Electrical testing

Cross-functional

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

SAP

Salesforce

JIRA

Job description

Senior Failure Analysis Engineer, Medium Voltage Transformers and Switchgear

Remote, United States

Why Work at SMA America

Power the future. Build your career at SMA America.

As the U.S. subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG, we have been at the forefront of solar inverter technology since 1981, developing solutions that make photovoltaic power plants simpler, more reliable, safer, and more cost effective. Headquartered in Rocklin, California, SMA America has spent more than two decades helping homes, businesses, and utilities across the country generate clean, reliable power. We are the only inverter manufacturer in the world offering solutions for every system size, from residential rooftops to large scale utility plants, backed by more than 1,500 patents and a presence in over 190 countries.

Innovation is only part of the story. We invest in our people, create room to grow, challenge conventional thinking, and protect a culture where teammates genuinely care about each other and the work. We hire capable people and give them the space to do the job, with clear expectations, open door leadership, and real autonomy.

If you are passionate about driving positive change and want a career where you can take ownership of your work, we would love to meet you. Together, we are not just part of the energy transition, we are helping drive it forward.

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Senior Failure Analysis Engineer protects SMA’s customers and brand quality by personally investigating field failures on SMA’s medium voltage solutions, including transformers, switchgear, and converters, and driving each one to an evidence based root cause. This is a hands on engineering role focused on technical failure analysis at the equipment level. It is not a quality process or supplier quality position. Working with cross functional and international teams, including SMA’s global headquarters in Germany, the role drives sustainable corrective and preventive actions across the product lifecycle.

PRIMARY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead hands on field failure investigations on medium voltage equipment, including site inspection, electrical testing, teardown, and evidence collection.
• Perform technical failure and data analyses, and determine the failure mechanism and specific root cause.
• Apply the 8D method for systematic root cause identification.
• Ensure analyses are evidence based, documented in compliance with standards and global processes, and aligned with the requirements of internal and external stakeholders.
• Conduct initial site analyses and on site technical evaluations, and provide technical consultation.
• Create detailed failure descriptions and collaborate with headquarters to advise and support other functions.
• Recognize and document known failure patterns and provide technical expertise to resolve them.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary and international teams to implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Execute, monitor, and evaluate corrective actions implemented by service teams and suppliers, and confirm their effectiveness.
• Collaborate closely with Customer Quality, Supplier Quality, and regional functions.
• Maintain close collaboration with the analysis unit at SMA headquarters and the application engineering team in the U.S.
• Travel approximately 20 to 30% to customer sites for failure investigation and fact gathering, and to the Rocklin, CA office and tradeshows as needed.
• Other duties as may be required or assigned.

REQUIRED RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent education. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in research and development, technical failure analysis, and quality engineering, with a background in customer relations.
• Hands on field failure investigation experience on medium voltage equipment, such as transformers, switchgear, or converters, is required and is the primary focus of this role. This experience may come from the solar or energy industry or from medium voltage work in another industry.
• Demonstrated ability to identify the failure mechanism and specific root cause of a medium voltage equipment failure, using site evidence, electrical test results, and physical damage analysis.
• Expertise in the 8D method for corrective action and quality tools including 5 Why, Ishikawa diagramming, and Pareto analysis.
• Experience in solar, utility, power generation, or another industry where medium voltage equipment is in service.
• Ability to present quality findings and corrective actions to senior leadership.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across cross functional and international teams.
• Ability to travel approximately 20 to 30%, including to customer sites and the Rocklin, CA office.
• Availability for occasional early morning meetings with headquarters in Germany.
• Proficiency in written and verbal English is required. Proficiency in German is a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, is required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience performing or interpreting medium voltage electrical tests, such as insulation resistance, power factor, turns ratio, and dissolved gas analysis.
• Experience with hermetically sealed equipment.
• Working knowledge of SAP, Salesforce, and JIRA.

Extent of responsibility: Regional.

WE OFFER

• Compensation: $106,000 to $150,000 per year, dependent on experience and qualifications, with flexibility above this range for a candidate who clearly exceeds the requirements.
• Eligibility for a discretionary annual profit sharing bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision coverage, including $0 premium options.
• Work Model: Remote within the United States. Hybrid or in office presence is preferred for candidates within commuting distance of our Rocklin, CA headquarters.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Tuition reimbursement and opportunities for professional development and training.
• Inclusive, collaborative, and innovative work environment.

Our EEO Policy

We are an equal opportunity employer and we make our employment decisions on the basis of merit and without regard to one’s race, color, creed, sex (includes gender, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity, religion, marital status, age (over 40), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability (includes HIV/Aids), medical condition (cancer, genetic characteristics), veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by law.

In accordance with applicable law protecting qualified individuals with known disabilities, SMA will attempt to reasonably accommodate qualified applicants with known disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue hardship on SMA. Any qualified applicant with a disability who believes he or she requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job for which he or she is applying should identify the accommodation(s) needed in the application.

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For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in SMA America’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

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