High Voltage Test Engineer

Job Title : High Voltage Test Engineer

Location : Fremont CA

Duration : Long Term

Job Description

Role Overview

We need a hands-on mechanically oriented Test Engineer who thrives in the lab. This role balances :

Logistics layer - coordinating with design counterparts collecting samples creating JIRA tickets for technicians and managing test sample logistics.

Hands-on test engineering - designing building and iterating on test setups.

Ownership mindset - treating each setup as if it were their own business balancing speed safety and standardization in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities & Skills

1. Design & Build of Test Fixtures

Architect model and assemble frames (e.g. 80 / 20 steel aluminum composites) to house power systems control electronics and devices under test.

Design and build custom control boxes (e.g. microcontroller / relay / switching boards) to actuate and monitor test logic (for example cycling chargeport latches).

Create harnessing from control box to devices (wiring connectors cable management).

Select and integrate components : power supplies pumps sensors relays data acquisition modules.

Rapid CAD design (SolidWorks or equivalent) of parts assemblies and fixtures.

Develop control scripts (Python preferred) for device actuation chamber / chiller coordination power cycling data logging error handling interlock logic.

Decompose build and inspection tasks into JIRA (or equivalent) tickets assign to technicians and supervise execution and QA.

2. Mechanical Systems & Thermal / Structural Design

Choose pumps heat exchangers motors actuators (servo stepper etc.) appropriate for the thermal flow mechanical load of the DUT.

Design structural supports fixtures mounting surfaces force-transmitting links and vibration isolation considering stiffness thermal expansion alignment tolerances and safety margins.

Apply GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing) to ensure fixture elements match tolerances and reduce mismatch / rework.

Fabricate custom parts (machining cutting bending welding) or coordinate with external machine shops when needed.

Understand mechanical stresses thermal expansion material selection (e.g. aluminum vs. steel coefficient of expansion) to preserve alignment under extreme conditions.

Recommend and integrate mechanical stress / load elements (e.g. clamping thermal cycling effects flexures) for realistic loading of bus bars junction boxes chargeports.

3. Electrical Instrumentation & Signal Integrity

Interpret datasheets and performance specs of HV components (contactors shunts relays power converters).

Size wiring harnesses (gauge insulation derating) design noise mitigation (shielding twisted pairs grounding) and design simple circuits (e.g. resistor dummy loads balancing circuits) to support test logic.

Integrate measurement hardware : NI DAQ systems thermocouples RTDs pressure sensors accelerometers current & voltage sensors.

Incorporate HV safety features : interlocks watchdogs fault detection safe sequencing insulation monitoring and emergency shutdown paths.

Ensure signal timing synchronization sample rate and data integrity across instrumentation channels.

4. Equipment & Test Facility Integration

Work with environmental chambers : plan safe ramp-down sequences (e.g. humidity first) account for thermal soak and enclosure constraints.

Interface with chillers / cooling systems to integrate temperature setpoints into test profiles and manage coolant circulation.

Use advanced / bi-directional power supplies (grid simulators programmable sources) with SCPI CAN GPIB Ethernet LXI or RS-232 protocols.

Manage rack systems : power supplies controllers cabling cooling harness routing cable length constraints.

Configure and validate test stands to maintain safety clearance mechanical access serviceability and reliability over long test durations.

5. Reliability & Environmental Testing Expertise

Understand and design for reliability test methods common in EV and power component space :

PTCE (Powered Thermal Cycling Endurance)

HTOE (High Temperature Operating Endurance)

HTHE (High Temperature Humidity Endurance)

IP (Ingress Protection / environmental sealing tests)

Develop or adapt fixtures and setups for these tests (thermal cycling humidity load cycling) and interpret resulting data for degradation / failure modes.

Use test data and models to accelerate test times (e.g. using real-world load profiles) while maintaining statistical confidence.

Understand aging fatigue electromigration thermal cycling cracks insulation breakdown corrosion or humidity-related degradation patterns as inputs to design feedback.

6. Validation Calibration & Fixture Quality Assurance

Validate fixtures : check alignment clearance actuation contact integrity wiring and signal continuity.

Perform fixture checkout and verification prior to production test runs (probe hits wire verification interlock tests).

Maintain calibration schedules for sensors and instrumentation to ensure accuracy over long-term usage.

Monitor fixture drift failure modes and redundancy in critical paths (spare sensors fallback mechanisms).

Design with safety in mind : include grounding kits proper shielding and ensure human safety in presence of HV.

Must-Have :

• Hands-on comfortable designing AND building test setups
• Mechanical electrical fundamentals (framing pumps heat exchangers wiring)
• CAD (SolidWorks preferred)
• Python scripting (or similar)
• HV safety awareness

Preferred :

Mindset :

Key Skills

Apache Commons,Asset,Art And Craft,Concrete Pump,Accident Investigation

Employment Type : Full Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1