Principal Power Electronics Engineer I

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are seeking a Principal Power Electronics Engineer I to join our growing satellite communication (SATCOM) terminal development team. In this position, you will contribute across the entire development lifecycle of next-generation power electronics hardware for military and commercial power systems—from leading the definition of power system architectures and trade studies to detailed circuit design, simulation, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, verification and integration testing, production transition, and manufacturing support.  

• Lead the development of power system architectures and derive power subsystem requirements.
• Design DC-DC power converters, power supplies, and power distribution systems ranging from a few watts to more than 20 kW of power in the 0.8 V to 400 V range.  
• Design single-phase and three-phase AC-DC power supplies and power distribution systems ranging from a few kilowatts to more than 20 kW.  
• Perform comprehensive analysis of AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies including worst-case circuit analysis (WCA), stress analysis, small signal modeling analysis, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), reliability analysis, and power integrity analysis. 
• Develop design verification test plans, requirement compliance matrices, system integration and qualification test plans, and production acceptance test plans for power converters and power supplies. 
• Lead board bring-up and design verification testing of analog and power electronics circuits. 
• Lead system integration, qualification campaigns, and production release of power supply modules and power systems.   
• Mentor younger engineers and foster knowledge sharing. 
• Lead a small team of power electronics engineers to drive project execution.  

• Bachelor of Science (BS) degree or higher in Electrical Engineering from an accredited university. 
• Minimum of 9 years of experience designing analog and power electronics  
• Experience working with electrical power systems and subsystems, including developing power architecture and power requirements, performing trade studies for size, weight, power, and cost optimization (SWAP-C), selecting power converter topologies, and defining power management and control blocks  
• Experience designing, testing and qualifying single-phase and three-phase off-line AC-DC power supplies, and DC-DC power supplies for industrial, airborne, or military systems  
• Knowledge of control theory and stability of power electronics, including experience characterizing control loops and impedances in the laboratory  
• Experience designing power filters for low noise outputs and for power line electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) 
• Experience developing design verification test plans, requirement compliance matrices, system integration and qualification test plans, and production acceptance test plans  
• Experience performing worst-case circuit analysis (WCA), stress analysis, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), and reliability analysis for power supplies   
• Extensive hands-on experience with testing and troubleshooting electronics and power converters using laboratory instruments such as oscilloscopes, impedance analyzers, spectrum analyzers, electronic loads, and signal generators  
• Experience with analysis and simulation tools such as SPICE, LTSPICE, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS, PLECS, Simulink, MATLAB, MathCAD, ANSYS Q3D and SiWave, or HyperLynx  
• Experience with isolation and grounding, failure mode effects analysis and fault tolerant design, and thermal management of power electronics  
• Experience designing and testing power electronics units to meet industry standards and requirements in the automotive, industrial, aircraft, or military markets (e.g., FCC, CISPR, UL safety standards, ECSS, NASA, MIL standards) 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Experience designing and testing isolated and non-isolated DC-DC power converters (e.g. discrete linear regulators, Buck, Boost, Buck-boost, Flyback, Forward)  
• Experience designing or specifying custom power magnetics for power supplies and power line filters  
• Knowledge of power stage design and control methods for power factor correction (PFC) converters and active rectifiers  
• Experience generating statements of work and requirements for external vendors, vendor selection, and vendor management for power supply and power system rack developments  
• Experience with electronics schematic capture and printed circuit board (PCB) layout tools such as Altium, OrCAD, Allegro or Xpedition  
• Experience running board-level power integrity simulation using tools such as Ansys SiWave, or HyperLynx 
• Knowledge of soft switching and resonant power converter topologies (e.g. LLC, CLLC, series resonant, phase shifted full bridge, dual active bridge, etc.) 
• Programming skills to support hardware test and data processing (Python, MATLAB, etc.) 

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.  Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.  

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.