Principal Electrical Engineer - Fuel Cell SystemsStatus: Exempt (salaried)
Department: Fuel Cell Platforms - Electrical Engineering
Position SummaryPlug 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 industrial scale across regions, industries, and applications.
Plug is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to serve as the electrical technical authority for our hydrogen fuel cell power systems. This role sits at the intersection of power electronics, embedded controls, system architecture, and structured product development - spanning the full design lifecycle from concept through production release. As a Principal Engineer, you will set the technical direction for electrical design, mentor and elevate the broader engineering team, and bring the business acumen to balance rigorous engineering standards with cost, schedule, and commercial objectives. You will lead electrical design decisions, drive verification and validation programs, partner with Supply Chain and Operations on design-for-manufacture readiness and serve as a trusted technical voice in customer-facing and executive settings. This position reports to the Manager of Electrical Engineering - Fuel Cell Platforms and is located at our facility in Slingerlands, NY.
Core Duties and Responsibilities- 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 and 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
- Lead architecture, design, and validation of embedded control systems on DSP/MCU/FPGA platforms, define hardware-software interface requirements
- 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
- Define and own the electrical DVP&R; lead DV and PV test execution including environmental and safety qualification (shock, vibration, thermal cycling, freeze-thaw, cold-start) and accelerated stress and durability testing to identify failure modes and predict 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
- 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/DFT practices with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering to resolve assembly, test and yield issues at pilot build and production launch
- Close the field reliability loop by translating warranty and field failure data into design improvements
- Execute electrical development within Plug Power's stage-gate process, owning milestones from Concept Freeze through Production Release; lead NPI programs and platform upgrades with TRL and risk tracking
- Represent electrical engineering status and trade-off analysis at cross- functional program reviews, gate reviews and executive briefings, applying business acumen to prioritize engineering investments that balance performance, cost, and time-to-market
- Mentor junior and mid-level electrical engineers, cultivate a culture of engineering excellence, and drive continuous improvement in design and verification processes
- Represent Plug Power in a professional manner at all times and in all interactions
- Perform all other duties as assigned
Education and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field; Master's degree preferred.
- 10+ years of power electronics development experience in regulated or high-reliability industries (energy, industrial, automotive, or aerospace).
- Demonstrated expertise in DC/DC power converter design and validation, including topology selection, magnetics design, thermal analysis, and EMC.
- Hands-on embedded controls hardware experience, including DSP/MCU/FPGA platforms and digital control implementation.
- Strong system-level electrical architecture experience, including power distribution, protection, grounding, harness, and sensor integration; proficiency in PCB ECAD tools (Altium preferred) and circuit simulation tools (SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent).
- Experience developing and executing electrical DVP&R, formal DFMEA, DV/PV testing methodologies, and gate review processes.
- Experience with electrical compliance and certification (UL, CE, ISO, SAE, NFPA 2) and structured product development frameworks (Stage-Gate, DFSS, or equivalent); familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508), model-based development (MBD), and HIL testing environments.
- Direct experience with PEM fuel cell systems, hydrogen energy systems, or electrochemical power systems; wide-bandgap (SiC/GaN) power device design and application experience is a strong plus. Familiarity with NFPA 2 and hydrogen-specific electrical safety requirements is a plus but not required.
- Experience working directly with Supply Chain on component sourcing, supplier qualification, design for manufacturability (DFM), and end-of-line test strategy development to support successful production launches.
- Excellent communication skills, including presenting complex electrical trade-offs to cross-functional, executive, and customer audiences; ability to travel up to 10%.
- Exempt employees are expected to work as many hours as is necessary to complete their job responsibilities. This may require they work more than eight hours a day and more than five days or 40 hours per week.
Pay Rate:
$114,000.00 - $185,250.00
We offer a fantastic total rewards package at Plug, and a brief summary is below:
Base salary is determined on a number of factors including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. These factors are considered when making an offer of employment. If you are interested in this position, we'd ask that you apply.
The above pay range, may not take into account local geographic pay variations. If there is an applicable geographic differential, a member of the HR team can discuss that with you.
Health, Dental & Vision Insurance eligibility starting from the first day of hire
401(k) with 5% company match
Bonus eligibility
Paid time off including vacation, personal and sick time
Paid Holidays
Wellness Reimbursement Program
Potential to apply for Tuition Reimbursement
Employee Referral program
Employee Assistance Program
Plug Power Inc. is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
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