Power Conversion Engineer

Location: Germany/Dresden

Department: Electrical Engineering

Reports To: Manager of Electrical Engineering

Company Overview:

My client, established in 2004 and headquartered in the Netherlands, is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of direct-drive wind turbines. The company is active across Europe, North America, and Asia, with a diverse product portfolio of onshore direct-drive wind turbines ranging from 250kW to 1MW. These turbines operate in various environments, from moderate latitudes to remote locations such as small towns on the Arctic edge in Canada, islands in Greece, and near the equator, with upcoming projects in Antarctica. With over 20 years of experience in inverter and converter development and production, my client is focused on integrating their turbines with other renewable energy sources and energy storage systems in microgrids.

My client is looking for innovative and enthusiastic professionals to join their team in Dresden. If you have a passion for renewable energy and the drive to bring new ideas to life, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Job Summary:

My client is seeking a skilled and motivated Power Conversion Engineer to join their team in Dresden. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing converters and inverters for their wind turbines. You will play a crucial role in ensuring the efficiency and reliability of their renewable energy solutions. This position requires expertise in power electronics, electronic design (schematics), and simulations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and optimize power electronic circuits and systems, including boost converters, step-down converters, and three-phase inverters.
• Create electronic schematics, perform simulations, and develop PCB layouts using OrCAD or similar software design tools.
• Optimize PCB designs to enhance efficiency, performance, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure that PCB designs meet industry standards, regulatory requirements, and environmental conditions specific to renewable energy applications.
• Define PCB test requirements, design test setups, and conduct tests to ensure compliance with design specifications.
• Develop embedded software using C or C++.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for power converter cabinets to ensure they meet design specifications and performance criteria before deployment.
• Prepare technical documentation, including design specifications, test plans, and performance reports.
• Define test requirements and conduct tests for integrating their inverter technology with power electronic devices from other manufacturers.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of power electronics, particularly in designing and optimizing components like boost converters, step-down converters, and three-phase inverters.
• Proficiency in designing electronic schematics and PCB layouts using OrCAD or similar software.
• Ability to read PCB schematics and propose/design alternatives.
• Experience with simulation tools such as SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, or similar.
• Proficiency in programming in C and the ability to discuss and optimize C code.
• Familiarity with renewable energy systems and microgrids is an advantage.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in German is a plus.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and within a team environment.

Desired Skills:

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and validation of power converter systems.
• Experience with XE169 and XMC4700 microcontrollers.
• Fluency in English, with proficiency in German or additional languages considered an advantage.

Work Environment:

• Primarily office-based, with occasional visits to manufacturing facilities and wind turbine/microgrid sites for testing and troubleshooting.
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, including mechanical, electrical, and control engineers.

What My Client Offers:

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development within a leading company in the renewable energy sector.
• A dynamic, innovative, and supportive work environment dedicated to sustainable energy solutions.

If this is something of interest, and you fit the requirements, apply now or please contact me on courtney.cole@darwinrecruitment.com as all CV’s will be reviewed immediately!

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Courtney Cole