Power Electronics Engineer (Magnetics)

Company Description

Do you relish the challenge of being part of a growing business, a team, an industry, and seeing the energy you help generate? Are you at your best when contributing to a range of projects and collaborating across teams to solve the problems of the future?

Within CSA Catapult we look beyond the status quo. We look to employ people based on ability and attitude; we measure what you deliver and how you do it. We encourage collaboration in everything we do as we value the diversity of thought that we each bring to every challenge.

Who are we? The next wave of emerging technologies will have an enormous impact on our lives. 5G communications will enable a host of new and exciting applications such as connected autonomous vehicles and multimedia services. Increasing demand for clean energy will require new electricity networks, while advanced sensing will open up new opportunities for health diagnostics and security. These developments will be underpinned by Compound Semiconductor (CS) technologies.

We are a not-for-profit organisation; here to help the UK economy grow, and we work across the UK with a range of industry sectors from automotive to medical, and from digital communications to aerospace. Through employing leading minds and investing in technology, we help bridge the gap between ideas and implementation by removing the barriers often faced by SMEs.

CSA Catapult is committed to supporting and upholding diversity, equality, and inclusion in everything we do. A commitment to embrace and advocate for inclusion is an essential part of all roles.

Position

CSA Catapult requires a Power Electronics Engineer (Magnetics) to design and test power electronic components/systems and work on technical activities on internal and external projects and research programmes.

The Power Electronics Engineer (Magnetics) is expected to have a broad knowledge of engineering, science and technology with proven experience around Power Electronics and particularly magnetics for Power Electronics. They will be expected to provide design expertise on projects and work on test and validation activities in the labs at Catapult’s Innovation Centre.

You will:

• Work on Power Electronics projects working closely with the Project Manager and Technical Lead to deliver tasks on time and to scope
• Prepare technical documentation including requirements, specifications, simulations and test plans, and assist in delivery with other team members
• Design and develop power electronic systems and demonstrators
• Work closely with suppliers providing technical specifications and procuring components and test equipment to specification and budget
• Carry out design, test and validation activities in the labs at CSA Catapult’s Innovation Centre
• Technical reporting to project team and wider audience to demonstrate regular progress
• Provide inputs to technical proposals and quotations, when required
• Participate in technical risk assessments to ensure safe working at all times

Requirements

• Engineering degree-level qualification or higher, or equivalent technical experience within Power Electronics, semiconductor or equivalent industry
• Demonstrable experience in working on Power Electronics products, projects and work packages, ideally across a multitude of different markets
• Experience in multi-disciplinary engineering activities including design, test, manufacture, and instrumentation development
• Power Electronics prototype assembly and validation, including lab-based power converter testing
• Knowledge of high-frequency magnetics for power converters
• Industry-proven analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to quickly understand complex issues and to propose solutions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Excellent team working skills with the proven ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with colleagues

Desirable Experience:

• Magnetic component characterisation including BH loop, VNA and impedance analyser
• Magnetics modelling including parasitic extraction, Steinmetz/ Dowell/ CNN methods
• Magnetics simulation including electromagnetic-thermal 2D/ 3D FEA and circuit level
• Magnetic component design including core and winding selection for isolated/non-isolated converters and filtering; SiC/ GaN switching and its implications on magnetics and EMI/ EMC
• Systems engineering approach to projects
• Familiar with engineering lifecycle management and 8D problem-solving methodology
• History of translating research output into working prototypes
• Skills in data analytics, familiar with Matlab and other programming skills
• Power Electronics simulation tools experience (PLECS, Saber, Ansys Q3D/Maxwell etc)

Other information

• Up to £58,203.60 annual salary (FTE)
• A non-contractual bonus scheme to allow everyone to share in our success
• Life Assurance – 4 times your annual salary
• Scottish Widows pension scheme – you put in 5% and we’ll put in 10%
• 28 days leave in addition to 8 bank holidays
• 37.5 hour full-time working week
• A generous private medical insurance scheme for you and your family (enrolment once a year)
• A cashback scheme for your eye tests and dental treatment
• Payment for a professional membership each year
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Flexible working – we operate core hours of 10-4. The balance of your hours can be worked around what works for you
• Electric Vehicle and Cycle to work schemes