Senior/Staff Hardware Applications Engineer

Heron Power Inc.; Scotts Valley (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Heron Power Inc. is advancing a new era of power electronics for the grid. We seek a Hardware Applications Engineer to own SST application testing for AI data centers, utility-scale BESS, and PV plants.

You will bring up hardware in lab and pilot sites and write scripts to drive test equipment and Power Converters, collaborating with Systems Integration to ensure performance. You will develop Python-based automation, validate performance against MPPT and communication needs, and coordinate with

Qualifications

• 5+ years in power electronics, energy storage, EV, grid, or hardware-intensive environments.
• Strong DC circuit fundamentals, resonances, parasitics, slew rates, and spikes.
• Strong scripting and test-automation skills to drive instruments and log data.
• Working knowledge of power conversion, BMS, DC pre-charge, protection, and cooling loops.
• Experience with lab instruments (oscilloscopes, analyzers, DAQ) and CAN/Modbus TCP.
• Scrappy mindset and initiative to push tasks through obstacles.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end application testing of a high C-rate battery pack with SST.
• Support integration testing at pilot sites, including EMS-to-SST communication.
• Test SST with DAS, SCADA, and EMS systems for grid applications.
• Lead first pilot deployments, identify feature gaps, and drive improvements.
• Develop Python-based test automation to command power converters and log data.
• Safely operate power converters, chillers, contactors and data acquisition for tests.

Skills

Power electronics

Scripting

Test automation

Lab instrumentation

First principles

Hands-on problem solving

Tools

Python

LTspice

Simscape

PLECS

CAN / Modbus TCP

Job description

What to Expect

Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to debottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything. Our first focus goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron Power’s leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade. We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems.

Job Overview

The Hardware Applications Engineer will own application-specific testing of Heron's solid state transformer (SST) across its core use cases: powering AI data centers, utility-scale BESS, and PV plants. That means bringing up hardware in the lab and at pilot sites, writing scripts to drive test equipment and power converters, and debugging performance against what each application demands, from MPPT performance and PPC/EMS/BMS communication to AI load smoothing and DC protection coordination. You will work hand in hand with the Systems Integration team: they own the SST platform; you own the applications.

How You Will Contribute

• Own end-to-end application testing of a novel high C-rate battery pack (SuperBBU) with Heron's SST, validating ripple mitigation, backup capability, slew rates, and power-loss profiles.
• Support SST and utility-scale BESS integration testing at pilot sites, covering EMS-to-SST communication, black start and grid-forming coordination, charge/discharge cycling, and round-trip efficiency.
• Support integration testing of the SST with commercial off-the-shelf DAS, SCADA and EMS systems.
• Own Heron's first pilot deployments: review field performance, identify feature gaps, and work with SW/FW teams to turn findings into product improvements.
• Write and maintain Python-based test automation to command power converters, sequence tests, log data, and turn manual procedures into repeatable automated loops.
• Safely operate power converters, chillers, contactors, and protection hardware, and set up cabling, instrumentation, and data acquisition for high-power test runs.

What You Will Bring

We have a short list of must-have requirements. We prioritize a strong grip on first principles, hands-on skills, and a sense of initiative. Domain-specific knowledge and experience will help determine the career level for each hire.

Must-Have Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in power electronics, energy storage, EV, grid, or a comparable hardware-intensive environment.
• Strong grasp on DC circuit fundamentals: resonances, parasitics, slew rates, and inductive spikes. You can correlate test data with simulation results.
• Strong scripting and test-automation skills to drive instruments and power converters and to log and analyze data.
• Working knowledge of power conversion and battery systems: inverters and converters, BMS, DC pre-charge, contactors and protection, and thermal and cooling loops.
• Comfort with lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, power analyzers, DAQ systems) and comms protocols such as CAN and Modbus TCP.
• Scrappy mindset: you get things done with a hundred hurdles in front of you.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with solid state transformers or grid-forming inverters.
• Familiarity with utility-scale BESS commissioning, grid-support functions, or EMS integration.
• Prior experience in systems-level testing of power electronics or energy storage products
• Hands-on experience with circuit and system simulation tools such as LTspice, Simscape, or PLECS.

If you are passionate about the energy transition and enjoy working at the frontier of power electronics and grid integration, we would love to hear from you. Join us in accelerating the electrification of everything at Heron Power.

Heron Power provides competitive compensation (salary and equity) and benefits. The base salary range for this role is from $140,000 to $200,000K.