Lead Power Electronics Engineer - MW-Class Multi-Port Power Conversion in , us
Lead Power Electronics EngineerExowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.We are looking for a Lead Power Electronics Engineer to lead development of Exowatt's next- MW-class multi-port power conversion solution. This person will own system architecture, product and engineering requirements, partner evaluation, development oversight, validation, and certification readiness for a high-power solution using advanced technologies such as SiC, GaN, and/or Solid State Transformer architectures.This is a senior technical role for someone who has designed, developed, or brought up power conversion systems at the hundreds-of-kW to MW scale. The ideal candidate has practical experience with high-power converter design, grid-interactive systems, controls integration, protection, thermal and mechanical design, EMI/EMC, safety, and certification.The person in this role will work closely with product, systems, controls, firmware, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, supply chain, and external development partners to bring a robust MW-level multi-port solution to certification readiness by Q4 2027.This position is based in Miami, FL. If selected, relocation to Miami, FL is required. Exowatt provides relocation assistance.Key Responsibilities:Product Definition & ArchitectureLead architecture definition for a MW-class multi-port power conversion system supporting interfaces such as solar, storage, thermal , grid, load, and/or DC bus integrationDevelop the Product Requirements Document and translate product needs into detailed Engineering Requirements across electrical, thermal, mechanical, controls, firmware, safety, reliability, manufacturability, serviceability, and certificationEvaluate SiC-based, GaN-based, and Solid State Transformer architecture options, including tradeoffs across performance, cost, reliability, scalability, manufacturability, certification complexity, and time-to-marketDefine key system requirements, including voltage levels, power ratings, efficiency, isolation, grounding, protection, communications, operating modes, grid behavior, and thermal performanceBuild technical roadmaps, risk registers, design review gates, and validation strategies to support the target development timelineMW-Class Power Electronics DevelopmentLead technical development of high-power converter architectures, including DC/DC, DC/AC, AC/DC, AC/AC, bidirectional, isolated, modular, and multi-port conversion systemsGuide topology selection and trade studies for architectures such as dual-active-bridge converters, resonant converters, modular multilevel converters, NPC/ANPC topologies, interleaved converters, and medium-frequency transformer-based systemsDrive power stage design decisions, including semiconductor selection, gate drivers, magnetics, DC link design, busbars, sensing, filtering, protection, cooling, packaging, creepage/clearance, and insulation coordinationReview schematics, power layouts, high-power interconnects, thermal designs, safety systems, and controls interfacesWork with controls and firmware teams to align modulation, protection logic, fault response, communications, diagnostics, and system state machines with system requirementsPartner Evaluation & Joint DevelopmentIdentify and evaluate external development partners, including power electronics design firms, OEMs, ODMs, contract manufacturers, labs, universities, and certification partnersDevelop technical evaluation criteria for partner selection, including MW-level design experience, SiC/GaN capability, Solid State Transformer experience, controls expertise, manufacturing maturity, certification history, and execution speedLead technical due diligence through architecture reviews, capability assessments, reference checks, test data reviews, and risk assessmentsDefine statements of work, deliverables, milestones, design review gates, validation requirements, and acceptance criteria for joint development programsServe as the primary technical owner for external partner execution, ensuring performance, schedule, quality, documentation, and certification requirements are metTest, Validation & Certification ReadinessDevelop system-level test and validation strategies for MW-class power conversion hardware, including prototype bring-up, integration testing, load testing, grid simulation, fault testing, thermal testing, and reliability testingDefine validation plans for electrical performance, efficiency, dynamic response, protection behavior, controls performance, communications, safety, EMI/EMC, thermal limits, and environmental operating conditionsAnalyze test data to validate performance against requirements and identify design gaps, control issues, thermal issues, component limitations, or system-level risksLead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for prototype failures, test anomalies, performance gaps, and certification issuesWork with certification bodies and test labs to define the pathway toward applicable UL, IEEE, IEC, NEC, NRTL, grid interconnection, EMI/EMC, and safety requirementsRequired Qualifications:B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, Power Systems, Controls, or a related field10+ years of experience in power electronics, high-power converter development, grid-interactive systems, or advanced energy systemsDemonstrated experience with power conversion systems in the hundreds-of-kW to MW range; direct MW-class converter experience strongly preferredStrong hands-on experience with SiC-based power conversion; GaN experience preferredExperience leading high-power electrical products from concept through prototype, validation, and certification or production readinessDeep understanding of converter topologies, semiconductor switching behavior, gate drivers, magnetics, DC link design, busbars, protection, filtering, EMI/EMC, and thermal constraintsExperience developing product requirements, engineering requirements, system specifications, test plans, validation plans, and certification-readiness documentationStrong understanding of high-voltage and high-power safety, including isolation, creepage/clearance, grounding, fault containment, arc flash considerations, and lab safety practicesAbility to evaluate system-level tradeoffs across performance, cost, reliability, manufacturability, scalability, certification complexity, and time-to-marketExcellent technical communication skills with the ability to influence architecture decisions and align technical and non-technical stakeholdersPreferred ExperienceExperience with Solid State Transformers, multi-port converters, modular converters, medium-voltage power conversion, or high-power isolated DC/DC architecturesDevelopment of MW-class inverters, converters, rectifiers, UPS systems, EV fast charging systems, BESS power conversion systems, solar inverters, wind converters, industrial drives, or medium-voltage power electronicsExperience with grid-tied systems, renewable energy systems, energy storage, data center power, DC microgrids, or hybrid energy systemsFamiliarity with grid-forming, grid-following, droop control, black start, synchronization, fault ride-through, harmonic control, and power quality requirementsExperience with SiC MOSFET modules, GaN devices, advanced gate drivers, laminated busbars, high-frequency magnetics, and high-power capacitor banksFamiliarity with simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, PSCAD, PSIM, LTspice, SPICE-based tools, or equivalent platformsExperience with NRTL/certification labs and standards such as UL 1741, UL 1973, UL 9540, UL 2202, IEEE 1547, IEC 62477, IEC 61000, IEC 61800, or related high-power product standardsExperience working in a startup or fast-moving hardware product development environmentIdeal Candidate ProfileThe right candidate has real MW-class power electronics experience, not just simulation or low-power design experience. They can compare SiC,