Principal Power Electronics Engineer

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Principal Power Electronics Engineer
Belfast - Hybrid

Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems (IAS) UK designs and manufactures a range of cutting-edge technologies ranging from air surveillance and mission planning systems to missiles.

We specialise in lightweight missiles and the integration of weapon systems into various platforms along with the systems to manage and exploit critical mission planning and air surveillance data. Belfast is also home to the Thales’s global Space Electric Propulsion Integration Centre.

We have sustained growth through the award of multiple high-value contracts, continuing to expand our Belfast operations. We are current recruiting for a Principal Power Electronics Engineer who has strong experience in Power Systems Architecture, Power Electronics and Electrical Power development.

The Role

As a Principal Power Electronics Engineer you will be expected to mentor and guide others in the design of electronic and electrical power systems that deliver world-class performance. You will be working and developing alongside a multi-disciplinary team of 35 Electronics Engineers, who are some of the most experienced in the industry.

Your role will span the entire product lifecycle from design requirements capture and analysis through to defining the power architecture and designing, building, testing and verifying that the solution meets the customer’s needs.

The Power Electronics role requires working within the Electronics team to optimise the design through trade-offs, studies, analyses, modelling and simulation to produce a best-in class competitive product.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing electrical power architectures to meet design requirements
• Leading in the design and prototype of power electronics circuits
• Using simulation tools to produce models of electronic and electrical power systems
• Leading component and sub-system selection and manage evaluation activities
• Define testing, validation and debug of component and circuit assemblies
• Support to integration testing
• Creation of power electronics specifications, development and verification plans
• Responsible for compliance to regulatory standards
• Contribute to bid and estimating activities

Skills, experience and knowledge required of the successful candidate

• A relevant Engineering, Scientific or Numerate degree
• Experience with selection and evaluation of MOTs AD-DC and DC-DC convertors
• Significant relevant experience of SMPS design
• Knowledge of electrical power systems and distribution, including :
  • 600 VDC
  • Single phase 240 VAC
  • Three phase 400 VAC

• Knowledge of battery systems utilising lead acid or lithium batteries
• Experience of power filter design and implementation
• A solid understanding of thermal management techniques
• Proficient in simulation tools such as LTSpice, with experience in modelling converters
• Familiarity with regulatory standards for power electronics and safety certifications
• Understanding of principles for design for LVD & EMC Compliance
• Highly effective communicator within a diverse, professional environment
• Outstanding team working skills
• Experience of mentoring and coaching others

Nice to haves:

• Knowledge of Militiary Vehicular GVA power architectures
• Experience in design of equipment for safety critical environments
• Chartership with a relevant professional Institution, eg IET, IEEE

Transferrable skills may be considered where an application does not meet all the required criteria.

Security Clearance statement 

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What We Can Offer

We’re committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Our packages come with an array of wider benefits including a bonus, private healthcare, contractual salary/development reviews, internal first hiring and an environment design to allow you to thrive including allocation of training budgets and internal training academies.

Your Career at Thales

Future opportunities will allow you to discover other domains or sites. You will be able to evolve and grow your competencies in different areas:

• Room and attention to personal development
• Build your talents in another domain of Thales Group, discovering new products, new customers, new country or go to a more complex Solution
• Choose between a technical expertise or a leadership path
• Build an international career within a leading Engineering Group

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

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In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!