Power Electronics Validation, Verification & Reliability Engineer

Job Title: Power Electronics Validation, Verification & Reliability Engineer

Job Description

Thisl role leads the full validation, verification, and reliability lifecycle for advanced industrial power electronics products, including bidirectional DC/DC converters, solar MPPT optimizers, and next-generation variable frequency drives. You will define and execute validation strategies from DFMEA through acceptance testing, build and manage a dedicated product test laboratory, and collaborate closely with design, compliance, manufacturing, and quality teams to deliver robust, field-proven solutions. The position combines deep power electronics expertise, structured verification methodology, and hands-on lab leadership to ensure products meet stringent performance, safety, and reliability requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own the Design Validation Plan (DVP) for all new power electronics products and define test coverage from subsystem bench testing through full system integration and environmental qualification.
• Lead and facilitate Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) workshops with cross-functional teams and translate risk rankings into targeted validation test cases.
• Establish verification traceability matrices that link design requirements, test cases, and acceptance criteria throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Define acceptance criteria, measurement uncertainty budgets, and statistical confidence levels appropriate for industrial power electronics applications.
• Design, set up, and execute comprehensive qualification test programs covering electrical performance, including efficiency curves, power quality parameters such as harmonics, power factor, and total harmonic distortion, switching waveform characterization, and thermal derating behavior.
• Plan and perform thermal validation activities, including junction temperature measurement, heat sink characterization, thermal imaging, and verification of thermal derating strategies.
• Coordinate and execute environmental testing such as vibration, thermal cycling, humidity, and ingress protection (IP) evaluations in collaboration with third-party laboratories.
• Conduct reliability testing programs including HALT and HASS, accelerated life testing, and component-level stress analysis to assess long-term durability.
• Perform dielectric and safety testing such as hi-pot, insulation resistance, and ground bond in accordance with UL and IEC requirements.
• Validate communication and control functions, including fieldbus protocol verification for EtherNet/IP, Modbus, and CANopen, and support firmware regression testing.
• Analyze test data, document failures, and drive structured root-cause investigations using methodologies such as 8D, Ishikawa diagrams, and fault tree analysis (FTA).
• Author detailed validation reports suitable for regulatory submissions, customer technical reviews, and internal design history files.
• Develop and manage the product validation laboratory, including equipment selection and justification, lab layout, safety procedures, calibration programs, and equipment maintenance schedules.
• Define capital equipment roadmaps to support current and future product lines, including power analyzers, high-voltage DC sources, programmable loads, thermal cameras, oscilloscopes, data acquisition systems, and environmental chambers.
• Supervise, schedule, and develop test technicians by establishing standard operating procedures, defining workload priorities, and creating skill development plans.
• Maintain lab safety compliance with NFPA 70E, OSHA electrical safety standards, and internal EHS policies, and serve as the lab safety officer.
• Track lab utilization, manage project test schedules, and monitor resource capacity to support product development timelines.
• Partner with power electronics and controls design engineers to provide Design for Testability (DFT) and Design for Reliability (DFR) feedback early in the development cycle, and champion best practices for component derating, thermal management, and robust gate drive design.
• Work closely with compliance engineers to align validation activities with relevant standards such as UL 508A, UL 508C, UL 61800-5-1, IEC 61800-3, IEC 61000-series, IEEE 519, NFPA 70E, and UL1741 SA/SB, and support third-party agency submissions.
• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering and production teams to define end-of-line (EOL) test strategies, test fixture requirements, go/no-go limits, and tester calibration protocols, and support the transfer of validation methods into production.
• Interface with quality assurance to integrate validation data into the product quality management system (QMS) and support corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes for field issues.
• Engage with supply chain and component engineering teams on reliability assessments of critical components, last-time-buy (LTB) qualification, and validation of alternate sourcing options.
• Develop and maintain reliability models, including MTBF and MTTF, for power electronics platforms using MIL-HDBK-217, Telcordia, or physics-of-failure approaches.
• Analyze field return data and warranty claims to identify systemic failure modes and recommend design or process improvements.
• Establish product reliability targets and derating standards in coordination with product management and engineering leadership.
• Maintain a lessons-learned database and ensure that reliability improvements are incorporated into new product development activities.
• Lead the definition and execution of design validation and testing on power converters, including misuse and boundary condition testing to understand how far products can be safely and reliably operated.
• Define and refine end-of-line testing requirements and procedures to ensure consistent product quality and reliability.
• Coordinate with external laboratories on tests that cannot be performed in-house and ensure proper documentation and interpretation of external test results.

Essential Skills

• Deep understanding of power electronics circuit operation with the ability to diagnose failure modes at both component and system levels.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field; a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) is preferred.
• At least 5 years of hands-on experience in power electronics design validation, test engineering, or reliability engineering.
• Demonstrated experience leading DFMEA activities and developing Design Validation Plans (DVP) for power conversion products such as AC drives, DC/DC converters, inverters, or similar systems.
• Proficiency with power electronics test equipment, including power analyzers, high-voltage probes, isolation amplifiers, thermal cameras, and programmable AC/DC sources and electronic loads.
• Working knowledge of relevant standards such as UL 508A, UL 508C, UL 61800-5-1, IEC 61800-3, IEC 61000-series, IEEE 519, NFPA 70E, and UL1741 SA/SB.
• Strong data analysis skills with proficiency in tools such as Excel, MATLAB, or Python for test data reduction, statistical analysis, and reporting.
• Experience supervising technicians or junior engineers in a laboratory environment, including task delegation and performance oversight.
• Excellent technical writing skills with a proven ability to produce clear and comprehensive test plans, procedures, and validation reports.
• Comfort working around high-power AC systems and high-voltage DC equipment up to 1500 VDC, with a strong commitment to electrical safety.
• Demonstrated ability to define and execute test programs and documentation required to evaluate designs from a reliability, verification, and validation perspective and to qualify products for release.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with HALT and HASS testing methodologies and accelerated life test design.
• Familiarity with solar photovoltaic inverter or battery energy storage system (BESS) product validation.
• Experience defining, commissioning, and improving end-of-line production test systems.
• Knowledge of SiC MOSFET and IGBT characterization techniques and their application in power conversion systems.
• Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) or Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) credentials.
• Experience using LabVIEW, Python, or similar tools for developing automated test systems.
• Exposure to ISO 9001 quality management systems or AS9100 environments and associated documentation practices.
• Experience running or managing a test laboratory for lifecycle and durability testing of power electronics products.
• Ability to determine and implement activities that prevent failures in the field, including robust test planning and preventive reliability measures.
• Experience coordinating with external laboratories for specialized testing that cannot be performed in-house.

Work Environment

The role is primarily based in a dedicated test laboratory environment and requires on-site presence due to extensive hands-on responsibilities. You will work daily with high-voltage electrical equipment up to 1500 VDC and high-power AC systems, following a structured electrical safety program and NFPA 70E requirements, including appropriate arc flash personal protective equipment. The position involves regular use of advanced test and measurement equipment such as power analyzers, high-voltage DC sources, programmable loads, oscilloscopes, isolation amplifiers, thermal cameras, data acquisition systems, and environmental chambers. The work requires frequent standing, bending, and working in and around confined equipment enclosures, as well as the ability to lift and position test equipment weighing up to 50 pounds. You will collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and compliance teams in a lab-centric culture that values safety, rigor, and continuous improvement. Occasional travel, estimated at up to 15% of working time, is required to visit customer facilities, third-party test laboratories, and supplier sites.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Franksville, WI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $160000.00/yr.

competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to professional development. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome candidates of all backgrounds.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Franksville,WI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 10, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.