Power Electronics Controls Engineer

Power Electronics Controls Engineer Opportunity

GridBlock has an exciting opportunity for a Power Electronics Controls Engineer. In this position you will work with a cross-functional research & development team and develop high-performance controls for advanced power electronics systems at the heart of GridBlock’s energy routing technology. You will be responsible for the dynamics modeling, control architecture design, performances verification in simulation, digital control implementation and hardware validation on hardware-in-the-loop setups and through power tests.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Develop dynamic models of power electronics converters including resonant converters, and advanced power electronics topologies in Matlab Simulink and PLECS

Derive control architecture and investigate performances, robustness and stability across the entire operating space through fudnamental analysis, simulation studies and hardware test

Define subsystem and system-level tests to validate the newly implemented algorithms and their interactions with existing features

Discretize control algorithms for software implementation, and work with the firmware team to integrate into the embedded real-time control platform

Outline controller requirements based on system performance targets

Test, validate, and troubleshoot digital control implementation on hardware controller

Support safety/compliance testing

Skills & Requirements

Education / Experience

MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering specialized in power electronics or controls

Strong knowledge of power electronics systems working principles, including AC/DC, DC/AC, DC/DC, AC/AC conversion and grid-connected converters

Knowledge of advanced power topologies including resonant and soft-switching topologies

Experience with firmware writing (C/C++ programming) for power electronics products

Strong hands-on testing and troubleshooting experience

Experience with real-time HIL simulation platforms (OPAL-RT, Typhoon, etc.)

Experience with SoC and FPGA systems

Specific Skills / Abilities

Think with first principles and excellent power electronics fundamentals

Expert in the use of circuit simulation tools (PLECS, Simulink, PSPICE, etc)

Expertise in power electronics controls with strong analytical skills. Deep understanding of control theory and techniques applied to power electronics controls

Strong expertise in state-space controls, non-linear controls and digital controls

Experience with HIL platforms

Knowledge of UL1741, UL2202, IEEE1547

Excellent technical communication and collaboration skills

Comfortable working in a start-up environment and ability to solve complex problems and provide solutions for short and long term

Proven ability to develop, implement, and verify control algorithms for switching power converters in both simulation environments and hardware

About GridBlock:

GridBlock is an innovative energy router that dynamically manages the flow of energy between multiple sources and loads and is able to create and operate a self-contained microgrid. GridBlock packetizes and routes electrical energy with isolation and high accuracy to serve AC or DC systems seamlessly. The precision technology enables a bidirectional power flow on multiple ports or channels concurrently, bringing the flexibility and control of Internet routers and switches to the electrical grid. Increasingly, electrical installations require smart integration of EV or e-truck charging, battery storage, solar panels, and critical loads, with custom design and build for each location adding to the cost of implementation. GridBlock simplifies all of this with a flexible, software-defined, modular solution that can manage a wide variety of end-use configurations and applications.

GridBlock is part of Endeavour, a purpose-built company taking on global challenges to guarantee renewable energy and clean water to everyone, everywhere by decentralizing infrastructure, developing new technologies, and deploying energy, water, and waste valorization solutions that are more profitable than those that currently exist. Endeavour companies are made up of passionate change-makers who want to leave the world better than the way we found it