Principal Applications Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Principal Applications Engineer with deep expertise in power MOSFETs and high-performance power converter design. This is a senior individual contributor role serving as a technical authority for customer designs utilizing 150-650V high-performance MOSFETs in demanding applications up to 10 kW and beyond. The position reports to the Vice President of Applications Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical interface for strategic customers designing with high-voltage MOSFET products.
• Develop, document, and support high-efficiency reference designs up to 10 kW and beyond.
• Design and support applications including:
  • Traction inverters and on-board chargers for EV/HEV applications
  • Industrial and servo motor drives
  • 3-phase inverters and motor drives
  • Phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) isolated DC-DC converters
  • Half-bridge and full-bridge LLC resonant converters
  • Totem-pole bridgeless PFC
  • Other high-frequency power conversion topologies
• Perform detailed power-loss modeling, thermal analysis, efficiency optimization, and system-level performance analysis.
• Utilize simulation tools such as PLECS, LTspice, Mathcad, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS, and PSIM.
• Design and optimize high-performance gate-drive circuits for fast-switching applications, including:
  • Low-inductance designs
  • Negative-voltage turn-off
  • Active Miller clamping
  • Short-circuit protection
  • Desaturation protection
  • Soft shutdown and dv/dt control
• Conduct customer training, technical design reviews, application support, and on-site debugging.
• Develop application notes, white papers, evaluation board documentation, competitive teardowns, and other technical materials.
• Collaborate with IC design, reliability, product, and marketing teams to define next-generation MOSFET products based on customer requirements and market needs.
• Support field applications engineers and distribution FAEs globally.
• Serve as a technical resource for complex customer design challenges and product applications.

Requirements

• MSEE or PhD in Electrical Engineering/Power Electronics, or BSEE with 10+ years of relevant experience.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience designing switched-mode power supplies, motor drives, or power conversion systems using high-performance HV MOSFETs and/or wide-bandgap devices.
• Proven production-design experience with several of the following:
  • 3-phase motor drives/inverters, preferably 10 kW or higher
  • Phase-shifted full-bridge converters
  • LLC resonant converters
  • Totem-pole bridgeless PFC
  • EV traction inverters or on-board chargers
• Expert knowledge of:
  • Si and SiC MOSFET switching behavior
  • Body-diode characteristics and third-quadrant operation
  • High-speed, low-inductance PCB layout
  • Si/SiC switching and power integrity considerations
  • Advanced gate-driver design
  • Desaturation and short-circuit protection
  • Soft shutdown and dv/dt control
  • High-frequency transformer and resonant inductor design
• Proficiency with power electronics simulation and modeling tools, including PLECS, SIMetrix/SIMPLIS, LTspice, or PSIM.
• Strong laboratory experience with high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, double-pulse test equipment, power analyzers, and calorimetric efficiency measurements.
• Experience creating and validating SPICE models is a plus.
• Excellent customer-facing communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Willingness to travel approximately 10-25%, including domestic and international travel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SiC MOSFETs or GaN HEMTs.
• Previous experience working for a leading power semiconductor, MOSFET, SiC, or GaN manufacturer.
• Published technical papers, patents, or industry contributions in power electronics.
• Familiarity with AEC-Q101 and automotive or industrial semiconductor qualification requirements.
• Experience with digital control platforms such as TI C2000, STM32, or Microchip dsPIC.
• Experience developing motor-drive or resonant-converter control systems.
• Strong understanding of automotive, industrial, and high-performance power conversion applications.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonus
• Equity participation
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off
• Opportunity to work with next-generation semiconductor technology
• Direct impact on products serving rapidly growing markets
• Collaborative, technically focused work environment
• Exposure to Tier-1 customers and advanced power electronics applications
• Opportunity to influence next-generation product development and converter technologies