Senior/Principal Electrical Engineer - Fuel Cell Systems
Principal/Senior Electrical Engineer - Fuel Cell Systems
Status: Exempt (Salaried)
Department: Fuel Cell Platforms - Electrical Engineering
Position Summary
Plug is building the global hydrogen ecosystem.We arethe 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 atan industrialscale across regions, industries, and applications.
Plug isseekinga 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 CellsPlatforms.
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Power Electronics & Converter Design
Architect, design, andvalidateDC/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, andSiC/GaNdeviceselection
Oversee schematic capture and PCB layout review (Altiumpreferred),componentselection, 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;Establishand 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 toidentifyfailure modes andestablishdiagnostic parameters for predicting system lifespan
Drive structured root cause and corrective action processes (8D, DMAIC) to resolve verification failures and field reliability issues;maintainand 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 duringcomponentselectionand 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 Engineeringor closely related field;Master’sdegree 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)
Demonstratedexpertisein DC/DC power converter design and validation - topology selection, magnetics design, thermal analysis, and EMC
Hands-on embedded controls hardware experience;proficiencywith DSP/MCU/FPGA platforms and digital control implementation
Strong system-level electrical architecture experience: power distribution, protection, grounding, harness, and sensor integration
Proficiencywith PCB ECAD tools (Altiumpreferred) and circuit simulation tools (SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent)
Experience with electrical DVP&R development and execution; formal DFMEAmethodology, DV/PV testmethodologiesand 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 applicationis a big plus
Familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508) and formal DFMEAmethodology; 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 oncomponentsourcing, 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 to10%
Pay Rate:
$95,040.00 - $142,500.00We 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.