Power Electronics Design Engineer

Are you a power electronics engineer who wants to see your designs operate on spacecraft exploring our solar system?

Do you enjoy solving complex challenges in analog and mixed-signal electronics, from custom power supplies and magnetics design to flight qualification and testing?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!

The Space Science Electronics Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory builds instruments and electronics systems that generate data used in scientific research. Our group of approximately 40 engineers brings technical expertise across all aspects of instrument development, including systems engineering, digital and analog electronics design, FPGA design, and software design. We work closely with engineers and scientists across the Laboratory to develop instruments for spaceflight missions.

Examples of our work include the instrument suite on the MESSENGER spacecraft, instruments for Europa Clipper, imagers on DART, and many other missions. We are currently developing instruments for Dragonfly and NOAA SOLAR missions. The instruments we build include magnetometers, optical imagers, particle instruments, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers.

We are seeking talented power electronics engineers to contribute to the design, implementation, production, and testing of spaceflight instrumentation. If you are passionate about power electronics, analog electronics, and instrumentation for spaceflight missions, we would be excited to have you join our team.

As a Power Electronics Design Engineer you will be responsible for...

• Designing, simulating, and testing analog electronics for spaceflight instrumentation. including isolated DC/DC power converters, low- and high-voltage power supplies, detector bias supplies, custom magnetics design, power conditioning, motor control electronics, and related support circuitry.
• Optimizing magnetic components, compensation networks, control loops, filtering, protection circuits, and EMI/EMC mitigation features for spaceflight power systems
• Overseeing breadboarding, testing, fabrication, and space qualification of analog, power, and mixed-signal electronics.
• Designing, testing, and integrating engineering model and flight model electronics.
• Hands-on laboratory testing and troubleshooting of power, analog, or mixed-signal electronics.
• Preparing for and presenting at design reviews.
• Generating test plans and technical documentation.

You will meet our minimum requirements if you have...

• A Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or an equivalent technical field, with 1+ years of experience in analog power electronics design.
• Experience with common power converter topologies and design electronics for EMI/EMC considerations.
• Basic scripting knowledge, preferably including the ability to script automated measurement sequences.
• Proficiency with computer-aided design and circuit simulation tools.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Eligibility to obtain a Secret-level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have...

• An M.S. in Electrical Engineering or equivalent technical experience, with 5+ years of experience in power electronics, analog electronics, and mixed-signal circuit design.
• Experience designing space-qualified electronics, including custom magnetic component design, part selection, de-rating, and worst-case analysis, radiation considerations, and design margin assessment.
• Worked with sensitive analog and mixed signal circuit; optimized power supplies for biasing detectors, minimizing noise and cross talk, and tuning for stability over large load/temperature ranges.
• Relevant spaceflight hardware experience.
• Leadership and organizational capabilities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and mentor early-career engineers.

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at  .

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact  View email address on apply.j-vers.com .

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.