Power Electronic Controls Engineer

GridBlock

Senior Power Electronics Controls

Atlanta, Georgia

About GridBlock

GridBlock is an innovative energy router that dynamically manages the flow of energy between multiple sources and loads and has the ability 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, from 500kW to 100+ MW deployments.

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 treatment 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. Today, Endeavour is deploying solutions that are immediately scalable and profitable, including EV charging, data center cooling, and waste to fuel systems. As we look to the future, Endeavour and GridBlock intend to remain at the forefront of innovation, taking on grander challenges based on the needs of our clients and of local economies.

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.

The Power Electronics Controls Engineer needs to be agile, professional, and comfortable in a rapidly changing environment. The right person is highly organized, self-motivated, has excellent communication skills, can think strategically, and works equally as well independently as with a team.

Key responsibilities

• 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 fundamental 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

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.)
• 10+ years of experience designing, testing and certifying control architectures for high power (20+ kW) conversion systems with proven deployment records
• Experience with SoC and FPGA systems