Senior/Principal Electrical Engineer - Fuel Cell Systems

Principal/Senior Electrical Engineer – Fuel Cell Systems   Status:   Exempt (Salaried)     Department:   Fuel Cell Platforms – Electrical Engineering     Position Summary Plug is building the global hydrogen ecosystem.   We are   the only company delivering a complete hydrogen platform, from production and liquefaction to storage, delivery, and power generation. They are integrated, end-to-end solutions designed to make hydrogen work at   an industrial   scale across regions, industries, and applications.   Plug is   seeking   a Principal or Senior Electrical Engineer to serve as the electrical technical authority for our hydrogen fuel cell power systems. This role sits at the intersection of high-power electronics, embedded controls, system architecture, and structured product development — spanning the full design lifecycle from concept through production release. You will lead electrical design decisions, drive verification and validation programs, partner with Supply Chain and Operations on design-for-manufacture readiness, and mentor engineers across the team. This position reports to the Manager of Electrical Engineering – Fuel Cells   Platforms.   Core Duties and Responsibilities Power Electronics & Converter Design   Architect, design, and   validate   DC/DC power converters (LLC, phase-shift full bridge, interleaved boost, buck-boost) for fuel cell stack and BOP interfaces; define electrical specifications covering voltage/current profiles, efficiency, ripple, and EMI/EMC across all operating conditions   Drive EMI/EMC mitigation from schematic through PCB layout and full system validation; design high-frequency magnetics for efficiency and manufacturability; own protection architecture, and   SiC / GaN   device   selection   Oversee schematic capture and PCB layout review (Altium   preferred ),   component   selection, and DFM; lead hardware design reviews (PDR, CDR) and resolve design issues through structured root cause and corrective action   Controls & Embedded Systems   Lead architecture, design, and validation of embedded control systems on DSP/MCU/FPGA platforms   Define hardware-software interface requirements   System-Level Electrical Architecture & Compliance   Own the top-level electrical architecture for the fuel cell power system: power distribution, harness design, sensor integration, grounding strategy, and isolation/protection schemes   Define balance-of-plant (BOP) electrical requirements for pumps, fans, valves, heaters, and auxiliary loads; specify thermal subsystem electrical requirements; partner with Mechanical and Thermal teams on integrated packaging and thermal management   Lead compliance and certification activities for UL, CE, NFPA 2, SAE, and applicable ISO hydrogen and fuel cell standards; support regulatory approvals ;   Establish   and own electrical FMEA and functional safety analyses   Design Verification, Validation & Reliability   Define and own the electrical Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R) aligned to industrial duty cycles, customer use cases, and applicable standards; lead DV and PV test execution through structured gate reviews   Conduct environmental and safety qualification testing including shock, vibration, thermal cycling, freeze-thaw, and cold-start; lead accelerated stress and durability testing to   identify   failure modes and   establish   diagnostic parameters for predicting system lifespan   Drive structured root cause and corrective action processes (8D, DMAIC) to resolve verification failures and field reliability issues;   maintain   and update DFMEA throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure risks are mitigated before production release   Stage-Gate Program Execution   Execute electrical development within Plug Power’s stage-gate product development process, owning milestones: Concept Freeze, Design Freeze, DV/PV completion, Pilot Build, and Production Release   Lead new product introductions (NPI) and major platform upgrades; ensure alignment of scope, schedule, technical readiness levels (TRL), and risk mitigation strategies; represent electrical engineering status and trade-off analysis in gate reviews and executive briefings   Supply Chain, Operations & Technical Leadership   Partner with Supply Chain during   component   selection   and sourcing to address preferred suppliers, lead time, cost targets, and second-source availability early in design; support supplier qualification and supplier technical reviews   Drive DFM and design-for-test (DFT) practices; collaborate with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering to resolve assembly, test, and yield issues at pilot build and production launch; support EOL test strategy development to ensure product is tested to specification at volume   Close the field reliability feedback loop: review warranty and field failure data with Operations and Field Service; translate findings into design improvements and updated test coverage   Serve as the electrical technical authority in cross-functional program reviews, customer-facing sessions, and executive briefings; mentor junior and mid-level electrical engineers and drive continuous improvement in design and verification processes   Education and Experience Bachelor’s d egree in Electrical Engineering   or closely related field;   Master’s   degree preferred   5+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Principal) of experience in power electronics development in regulated or high-reliability industries (energy, industrial, automotive, or aerospace)     Demonstrated   expertise   in DC/DC power converter design and validation — topology selection, magnetics design, thermal analysis, and EMC   Hands-on embedded controls hardware experience;   proficiency   with DSP/MCU/FPGA platforms and digital control implementation   Strong system-level electrical architecture experience: power distribution, protection, grounding, harness, an