Principal Electrical Engineer (Indianapolis)

Working across the globe, V2X builds smart solutions designed to integrate physical and digital infrastructure from base to battlefield. We bring 120 years of successful mission support to improve security, streamline logistics, and enhance readiness. Aligned around a shared purpose, our $4.5B company and 16,000 people work alongside our clients, here and abroad, to tackle their most complex challenges with integrity, respect, responsibility, and professionalism.

Vertex in Indianapolis, IN is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to provide technical leadership in power conditioning, drive electronics, and advanced networked control architectures across ground industrial and vehicle‑class systems. This growth position will define and standardize approaches for power conversion, battery charging, nonlinear load handling, digital I/O/COTS SBC integration, and CAN‑based control architectures (CAN 2.0/CAN FD) at the physical, logical, and application layers.

The Principal Electrical Engineer will lead electrical architecture for multi‑board and multi‑module systems, partition functions across CCAs and subsystems, and drive standards and best practices in power electronics, drive circuitry, digital I/O, and communication interfaces. The role includes architecting power systems, designing battery charger and energy storage systems, handling nonlinear loads and actuation drives, defining CAN‑based communication schemes, and guiding integration of SBCs and digital I/O/relay circuits. This engineer will serve as a principal technical authority, mentoring other engineers and influencing proposals and IRAD investments.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related STEM field; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum 12 years of professional electrical engineering experience, or 10+ years with a relevant Master’s Degree (MSEE, MSCE, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience in:
• Power conditioning and conversion for ground industrial or vehicle systems (or analogous high‑reliability domains such as medical or space).
• Battery charger systems and energy storage architectures (charging algorithms, protection, state‑of‑charge/state‑of‑health considerations).
• Handling nonlinear loads (e.g., motor drives, switched‑mode loads, pulsed loads, Class D‑style power stages) with appropriate power system design and protection.
• CAN bus architectures (CAN 2.0, CAN FD) including physical‑layer design, protocol configuration, and application‑layer messaging for control and diagnostics.
• Integration of digital I/O, relay control, and COTS single board computers into power and control subsystems.

Required Skills

• U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.
• Expert proficiency in power electronics at board and subsystem levels (DC/DC converters, AC/DC conversion, battery interfaces, protection schemes, efficiency/thermal trade‑offs).
• Experience defining architecture, requirements, and design standards for power systems on ground platforms (industrial equipment, vehicles, or similar).
• Expertise in battery charger design (buck/boost and multi‑stage charging, battery management, balancing, safety and compliance considerations).
• Deep understanding of nonlinear load behavior and its impact on power quality, stability, and reliability; ability to define and validate mitigation strategies.
• Experience with regulated and unregulated DC/DC buck controllers, isolated topologies, and H‑bridge or dual H‑bridge drive configurations for actuation, rotators, or power stages.
• Expert‑level proficiency in SPICE/SIMetrix‑class simulation tools (e.g., LTSpice, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS); able to handle complex cases, perform advanced modeling of power and drive systems, and teach detailed use to other engineers.
• Proficiency in CAN physical‑layer design (transceivers, termination, EMC/EMI considerations), bus topology, and signal integrity.
• Experience designing application‑layer CAN messaging (diagnostics, control, safety) and integrating with embedded controllers or microcontrollers.
• Advanced proficiency with ECAD tools (e.g., Altium Designer) and associated workflows for complex board and system‑level designs.
• Advanced use of simulation tools (SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, ANSYS SiWave, Keysight ADS or equivalent) for SI/PI, transient, and power system analysis, with demonstrated model‑to‑test correlation.
• Strong background in EMI/EMC design and mitigation from concept through qualification for power, drive, and communication subsystems.
• Experience leading design reviews, defining analysis expectations, and ensuring robust documentation and configuration control.
• Ability to coordinate digital I/O, relay control, and SBC integration within broader power and control architectures.
• Operates with full autonomy; recognized as a principal technical authority for power, drive electronics, and CAN‑based architectures.
• Strong strategic thinking and decision‑making; balances performance, cost, schedule, and risk across programs.
• Excellent communication skills in technical forums, executive briefings, and customer meetings.
• Proven leadership in cross‑functional settings; able to guide integrated product teams and influence program direction.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor senior, mid‑level, and junior engineers and shape training, standards, and best practices across the electrical discipline.

Desired Skills

• Experience in vehicle or mobile platform power systems (e.g., 12/24/48 VDC architectures, on‑board chargers, DC‑DC distribution, CAN‑based control networks).
• Experience with standards relevant to ground vehicle or industrial power and CAN networks (e.g., ISO 11898, SAE J1939, or similar).
• Experience with medical or space‑grade power and controls demonstrating high reliability, fault tolerance, and rigorous qualification.
• Experience leading EMC/EMI and environmental (e.g., MIL‑STD‑810 or DO‑160‑like) qualification campaigns for power, drive, and communication subsystems.
• Experience defining departmental design guidelines, reference designs, and preferred‑parts strategies for power, drive electronics, and CAN subsystems.
• Experience leading proposals, IRAD planning, and technology roadmaps in power electronics, drive systems, and networked control architectures.

At V2X, we are deeply committed to both equal employment opportunity, including protection for Veterans and individuals with disabilities, and fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We ensure all individuals are treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, recognizing the strength that comes from a workforce rich in diverse experiences, perspectives, and skills. This commitment, aligned with our core Vision and Values of Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility, allows us to leverage differences, encourage innovation, and expand our success in the global marketplace, ultimately enabling us to best serve our clients.

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