Staff Power Electronics Engineer

Karman Industries; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Karman Industries in Torrance, CA, is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Power Electronics Engineer to lead the design and qualification of high- power conversion systems for the Heat Processing Unit (HPU).

You will own power distribution, control, sensing, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver high‑performance systems. The role emphasizes first-principles thinking, hands-on problem solving, accountability, and ownership from concept to hardware as the company scales hardware for giga-scale

Qualifications

• PhD in electrical engineering with a specialization in power electronics.
• 7+ years of experience in the design of electrical hardware and systems, including familiarity with medium-voltage or megawatt-level hardware.
• Experience designing and fabricating PCBs using software such as Altium and KiCAD.
• Familiarity with SIL/HIL development methodologies and platforms such as Typhoon HIL, Opal-RT, or Speedgoat.

Responsibilities

• Design and deploy 13.8kV+ power conversion systems.
• Develop high power density converter topologies.
• Simulate power electronics systems and develop models to enable controls and embedded systems development programs.
• Work with a tightly knit team across disciplines to develop all aspects of the Karman Heat Processing Unit.
• Ability to implement novel solutions to challenging problems, thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo.
• Develop analytical, physics-based (first principles) models to determine hardware performance and limitations.
• Analyze and implement compliance requirements for certification (UL, CE) as well as industrial and grid codes (NEC, NFPA).
• Hands-on integration of high-power systems on product skids.

Skills

Power electronics

PCB design

Systems integration

Safety standards

Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

KiCAD

Typhoon HIL

Opal-RT

Job description

Karman Industries is a Torrance-based thermal technology company building the backbone for giga-scale AI infrastructure. Founded by a team from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and GE, Karman is moving beyond legacy cooling with the launch of the HPU (Heat Processing Unit) - a new category of thermal architecture designed for the 100kW+ rack era. The HPU shrinks the exterior mechanical yard by up to 80% while reducing peak energy consumption by 10%+. Unlike traditional systems, the Karman HPU provides zero-water (WUE 0) cooling that ensures high-TDP GPUs and HBM4 memory stay at optimal thermal setpoints without throttling. Founded in 2024, we’re a fast-growing team of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of humanity. We design, build, and test real hardware, and we lead with ownership: you’ll own your work from concept to hardware and help shape how we scale. Our values are Ownership, Performance Excellence, Radical Transparency, and Customer-Centricity. Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Staff Power Electronics Engineer

Karman Industries is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Power Electronics Engineer to join our team designing the next generation of heat processing systems. The candidate will lead the design, development, and qualification of a power conversion system that involves emerging high-voltage semiconductor technologies and cutting-edge electronics to enable the Karman Heat Processing Unit (HPU) and subsequent product development. The role will span across power distribution, control, sensing, and more. We value first-principles thinking, hands-on problem solving, accountability, and close collaboration with cross-functional partners to deliver cohesive, high-performance systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and deploy 13.8kV+ power conversion systems
• Develop high power density converter topologies
• Simulate power electronics systems and develop models to enable controls and embedded systems development programs
• Work with a tightly knit team across disciplines to develop all aspects of the Karman Heat Processing Unit
• Ability to implement novel solutions to challenging problems, thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo
• Develop analytical, physics-based (first principles) models to determine hardware performance and limitations
• Analyze and implement compliance requirements for certification (UL, CE) as well as industrial and grid codes (NEC, NFPA)
• Hands-on integration of high-power systems on product skids

Required Qualifications

• PhD in electrical engineering, with a specialization in power electronics
• 7+ years of experience in the design of electrical hardware and systems, including familiarity with medium-voltage or megawatt-level hardware
• Experience designing and fabricating PCBs using software packages such as Altium and KiCAD
• Familiarity with SIL/HIL development methodologies and platforms such as Typhoon HIL, Opal-RT, or Speedgoat
• Hands-on experience with power distribution equipment and integration
• Expert knowledge of electrical test equipment and safe handling of high-power systems
• Self-motivated / high performer, ability to self-manage, multi-task, and communicate excellently

Desired Skills And Experience

• Background in medium-voltage solid-state devices
• Experience working with electrical safety standards in the UL or IEC family
• Experience with analytical design, turbomachinery testing and engine testing
• Experience with mechanical packaging for electrical systems

Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Karman Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Direct applicants only — we are not working with outside recruiters or agencies for this role.