Senior Power Electronics Engineer - Real-Time Control Lead

Optivolt; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Optivolt is seeking a passionate hardware engineer to drive design, simulation, and firmware for next-generation power systems in a hybrid role. You will own hardware lifecycle from schematic to layout and write embedded code to close control loops.

You will lead end-to-end development, using advanced tools to model, simulate, and refine high-efficiency systems, ensuring performance from prototype through production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Hands-on experience with digital control loop closure (PI, PID, peak current mode, etc.) for electronic power converters.
• Proficiency in Verilog HDL design, FPGA implementation, and hardware simulation tools (LTspice, QSPICE, MATLAB/Simulink).

Responsibilities

• Design, model, and close digital control loops for power converters and switching topologies.
• Develop RTL in Verilog/VHDL and implement digital control logic on FPGAs or microcontrollers.
• Validate control loop stability and transient response on hardware platforms via simulation and bench tests.
• Simulate switching waveforms and effects of parasitics on switching power supply performance.
• Conduct bench-top analysis and troubleshooting of converter switching waveforms and closed-loop performance.
• Collaborate with hardware and firmware teams to integrate control algorithms with power stage hardware.
• Design hardware for power converters including high slew rate, high power circuit layouts.
• Select parts balancing cost, supply chain risk, and performance requirements.

Skills

Digital control loops

FPGA

Verilog

MATLAB/Simulink

Power electronics

PCB layout

Embedded firmware

C/C++

Thermal design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s or PhD preferred

Tools

LTspice

QSPICE

MATLAB/Simulink

KiCad

Altium

Job description

Optivolt is seeking a passionate hardware engineer to drive design, simulation, and firmware for next-generation power systems in a hybrid role. You will own hardware lifecycle from schematic to layout and write embedded code to close control loops.

You will lead end-to-end development, using advanced tools to model, simulate, and refine high-efficiency systems, ensuring performance from prototype through production.