Principal/Senior Electrical Engineer - Fuel Cell Systems Status: 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 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 ResponsibilitiesPower 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 degree 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, and sensor integration
- Proficiency with PCB ECAD tools (Altium preferred) and circuit simulation tools (SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent)
- Experience with electrical DVP&R development and execution; formal DFMEA methodology, DV/PV test methodologies and gate review processes
- Experience with electrical compliance and certification processes (UL, CE, ISO, SAE, NFPA 2) and structured product development frameworks (Stage-Gate, DFSS, or equivalent)
- Direct experience with PEM fuel cell systems, hydrogen energy systems, or electrochemical power systems; experience with wide bandgap (SiC/GaN) power device design and application is a big plus
- Familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508) and formal DFMEA methodology; experience with model-based development (MBD) and HIL testing environments
- Familiarity with NFPA 2 and hydrogen-specific electrical safety requirements
- Background working directly with Supply Chain on component sourcing, supplier qualification, DFM activities, end-of-line test strategy development, for ensuring smooth production launch
- Excellent communication skills - able to present complex electrical trade-offs to cross-functional, executive, and customer audiences; ability to travel up to 10%
Pay Rate:
$95,040.00 - $142,500.00
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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