Senior Powertrain Engineer

Job Title: Senior Powertrain Engineer

Location: Fremont, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site

About the Job:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Powertrain Engineer to lead the design, integration, validation, and continuous improvement of high-voltage (HV) drivetrain systems. This role will focus on electric motor systems, inverters, motor controls, and overall drivetrain architecture for advanced electrified mobility products.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on engineering leader with deep expertise in electric propulsion systems, power electronics, and HV system integration. You will collaborate closely with electrical, firmware, thermal, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering teams throughout the entire product lifecycle—from concept development through production launch.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the design and development of high-voltage drivetrain systems, including electric motors, inverters, and motor control strategies.

Evaluate, select, characterize, and qualify electric motors and inverter technologies for traction and auxiliary applications.

Define motor control algorithms and collaborate with firmware teams on inverter tuning, calibration, and efficiency optimization.

Design and validate HV power distribution systems, including battery interfaces, contactor logic, pre-charge circuits, and HV wiring architecture.

Perform DFMEA, fault tree analysis, and safety assessments to ensure compliance with automotive functional safety standards.

Develop and execute component-level and system-level validation plans, including bench testing, HIL testing, and vehicle validation.

Troubleshoot and resolve drivetrain performance issues, HV system faults, and field reliability concerns.

Partner with manufacturing and supply chain teams to support design-for-manufacturing (DFM), production readiness, and supplier quality initiatives.

Contribute to future drivetrain architecture development, regenerative braking strategies, energy recovery optimization, and platform scalability.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.

8+ years of experience in automotive, EV, industrial electrification, or related industries with significant focus on high-voltage systems.

Strong expertise with electric motor technologies, including PMSM, BLDC, and induction motors.

Deep understanding of motor control principles, including torque and speed control, encoder/resolver feedback, and sensorless control methods.

Experience with power electronics design, including motor drives, DC/DC converters, gate drivers, and semiconductor device selection (SiC and IGBT technologies).

Hands-on experience with HV system architecture, including battery integration, HV interlocks, isolation monitoring, grounding strategies, and contactor control.

Knowledge of automotive safety standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61851, UN ECE R100, or equivalent.

Proven experience taking HV drivetrain systems from concept through validation and production release.

Proficiency with laboratory and testing equipment, including oscilloscopes, power analyzers, thermal imaging tools, dynamometers, and HV safety procedures.

Strong cross-functional communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in electric vehicles (EVs), electrified trailers, mobile energy storage systems, or similar applications.

Familiarity with CAN and LIN communication protocols for inverter and battery management system integration.

Experience using MATLAB/Simulink or similar modeling and simulation tools for motor control development.

Knowledge of regenerative braking systems and energy recovery optimization techniques.

Familiarity with NACS, CCS charging standards, and bidirectional charging technologies (V2X/V2L).

Experience with motor NVH testing, characterization, and acoustic optimization.

Demonstrated ability to mentor junior engineers and lead technical workstreams.

Benefits:

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)

Career Growth and Professional Development Opportunities

Collaborative and Innovative Engineering Environment