Sr. Electrical Engineer, Magnetic Bearings

Calnetix Technologies LLC; Cypress, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Calnetix Technologies LLC in Cypress, CA is seeking a Sr. Electrical Engineer– Defense & Aerospace to design and deliver magnetic bearing control electronics for industrial, aerospace, and military applications.

You will lead architecture and development of DSP/FPGA-based controllers, work with sensors, amplifiers, and power interfaces, and ensure hardware meets reliability, safety, and quality standards. On-site role with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with at least 5 years of industry experience.
• Background with active magnetic bearings (AMB) and magnetic bearing controllers (MBC) preferred.
• Strong understanding of electronics and power electronics circuit operation and design.
• Experience debugging analog, digital, and power electronics circuits.
• Experience with Altium for PWA board design.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop magnetic bearing control electronics from sensors to power amplifiers.
• Collaborate with controls, mechanical, and systems engineers to integrate with bearing dynamics.
• Lead firmware-hardware interface development including ADC/DAC, timing, and data paths.
• Prototype, test, debug, and bring designs into production.
• Interface with customers and suppliers on electronics topics and reviews.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Digital electronics

Power electronics

High-speed machines

Control theory

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscope

Logic Analyzer

Matlab/Simulink

LTSpice

Job description

Sr. Electrical Engineer, Magnetic Bearings

Calnetix is a design and manufacturing company that is primarily focused on high-speed permanent magnet synchronous machines, power electronics, magnetic bearings, and associated controls. Candidate will join the engineering team, using our high-speed high power permanent magnet machines, power electronics, and magnetic bearing controllers to change the electric machine industry.

We are seeking a Sr. Electrical Engineer– Defense & Aerospace will assist with all aspects of magnetic bearing controller design, test, debugging, and project execution. In this role, you will design innovative controller products for industrial, aerospace, and military applications and participate in the product development process from concept realization through introduction of product into high volume production.

Contribute to the architecture and technical direction of magnetic bearing control electronics, from position sensors through power amplifiers and actuator interfaces.

Collaborate closely with controls, mechanical, and systems engineers to ensure control electronics are properly integrated with magnetic bearing dynamics, control algorithms, and mechanical constraints.

Guide the development of firmware-hardware interfaces, including ADC/DAC selection, timing, synchronization, interrupt handling, and data paths critical to closed-loop control.

Hands-on experience in designing analog and digital control circuits using Altium Designer.

Lead or support trade studies evaluating control electronics topologies, sensor architectures, redundancy strategies, and fault-handling approaches.

Participate in design of new magnetic bearing systems for new applications/machines. Specify requirements for magnetic bearing control hardware components such as DSP controller, PWM amplifiers, and power supplies; create system level wiring diagram.

• Provide engineering guidance to design reviews and troubleshooting support.
• Interface directly with customers, suppliers, and partners on control electronics topics, including technical reviews, requirements clarification, and issue resolution.
• Ensure control electronics designs meet applicable standards and program requirements (e.g., reliability, safety, environmental, and quality requirements).
• Actively monitor advancements in industry and academia related to magnetic bearing control, power electronics, digital control platforms, and sensing technologies, and translate relevant developments into practical design improvements.
• Support hands-on system bring-up and integration, including board-level debugging, signal integrity verification, timing validation, and coordination of electronics with mechanical and control subsystems.
• Lead hands-on troubleshooting during integration and test activities, diagnosing control electronics, sensor behavior, and digital timing issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and system-level test data.
• Prepare invention disclosures to protect intellectual property.
• Architect, develop, and review digital control hardware utilizing CPLDs and FPGAs, including programming and verification using VHDL or equivalent hardware description languages, with attention to timing determinism, synchronization, and fault-handling behavior.

Education, Skills and Experience:

• BSc + 5 years industry experience or MSc + 3 years industry experience in Electrical or Electronics Engineering with focus on digital electronics.
• Background and experience with active magnetic bearings (AMB) and magnetic bearing controllers (MBC) preferred.
• Strong understanding of electronics and power electronics circuits operation and design.
• Strong skillset of debugging analog, digital, and power electronics circuits.
• Experience in PWA board design in Altium.
• Ability to debug, validate, and optimize control circuit designs from prototype through production.
• Experience with space vector, sinusoidal, and/or discontinuous PWM schemes.
• Strong knowledge of digital, analog and power electronic circuits design, test, and debugging.
• Hands-on experience with power electronics test equipment such as scope, DC/AC electronics load, DC/AC power sources, current and voltage probes.
• Strong circuit simulation experience (Matlab Simulink/PLECS/ LTSpice).
• Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation and technical writing skills.
• Self-motivated, detail oriented, strong team player.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively.
• Ability to drive projects to completion.
• Ability to prepare test reports, conclude the outcome of test results, provide the next steps in test plan, and present it to management level.
• Must be able to obtain a confidential security clearance within one year of start date.

Intangibles Sought:

• Detail oriented with excellent time management skills.
• Strong blend of analytical, decision-making and creative problem-solving skills.
• Team player with a willingness to learn, teach and help.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Individual must be capable of performing as a lead systems engineer on development programs.

Work Environment / Physical Demands:

• 10% travel may be required.
• On-site only; this is not a remote/hybrid position.

Salary Range:

$110,000 - $170,000

Disclaimer:The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned, by their supervisor. Management reserves the right to change, rescind, add or delete the duties and responsibilities of positions within this job classification at any time.

Other: Calnetix is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive considerations for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability or status as a protected veteran.

U.S. citizenship is a precondition of employment for this position due to contractual requirements.