Powertrain Inverter Modeling Engineer

JOB DESCRIPTION

At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. We also believe in providing you with the freedom to define and realize your dreams! With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career potential as you help us define tomorrow's transportation.

Electric Vehicle Digital Design (EVDD) is responsible for developing the key technologies and capabilities - such as EV platforms, batteries, e-motors, inverters, charging and recycling - to create ground-up breakthrough electric vehicles. By joining the best software, engineering, design and UX talent, you will be a part of creating new technologies and concepts that can be applied across the Ford enterprise. Being on the EVDD team means building the future as Ford's center of innovation and growth through electric and connected vehicles and services.

The Powertrain Inverter Modeling Engineer will be responsible for developing component and system level traction inverter models to optimize Ford's electric powertrain architectures. You will conceptualize and own parametric inverter models that include cost, mass, loss, semiconductor selection, and passive component sizing. You will perform detailed inverter level simulation studies, interpret the results, and select optimal tradeoffs between mass, loss, and cost based on vehicle level performance metrics. This cross functional role will work closely with electrical, mechanical, and thermal teams to understand constraints imposed by coupled subsystems and provide quantitative guidance to define power electronics architectures for the next generation of efficient, cost-effective powertrain platforms at Ford.

RESPONSIBILITIES

What you'll be able to do:

• Lead the development of a parametric, multiphysics inverter simulation model for use within a larger drivetrain optimization tool
• Estimate inverter switching losses and voltage overshoot from circuit simulations using data from device datasheets and electrical characteristics derived from CAD models
• Develop parametric sizing models for inverter passive components (inductors, y capacitors, bulk capacitors, chokes) to analyze tradeoffs between minimizing drivetrain cost, loss, and mass
• Collaborate with the inverter team to derive parametric inverter thermal state-space models from detailed FEA/CFD simulations and correlate those models to test results
• Collaborate with the inverter team to define switching loss characterization test plans to gather data for experimentally informed loss models
• Perform and analyze large scale drive cycle simulations to identify active constraints in the inverter design and suggest changes that improve performance and reduce cost while meeting system level requirements
• Analyze the interaction between inverter design, control methodologies, motor loss, and DC bus stability
• Maintain documentation and write unit tests to guarantee correct functionality of custom software tools

QUALIFICATIONS

The minimum requirements we seek:

• M.S. in electrical engineering with a focus in power electronics and/or semiconductor physics
• Strong understanding of inverter loss sources including semiconductors, capacitors, inductors, bus bars, gate drivers, and auxiliary circuits
• Experience sizing passive components to meet ripple current, ripple voltage, bus stability, and EMC requirements
• Experience translating semiconductor data sheets and experimental test results into simplified loss and thermal model
• Strong linear systems and numerical methods background
• Experience with software development in MATLAB or a similar technical computing language (Python, Julia, C++)

Preferred Requirements:

• PhD degree in electrical engineering with a focus in power electronics and/or semiconductor physics
• Experience performing circuit simulations with detailed semiconductor models (LTSPICE, PSPICE, etc.)
• Familiarity with interplay between inverter design/control and motor losses, EMC/EMI, and DC bus stability
• Familiarity using impedance and network analyzers to characterize the frequency dependent characteristics of passive electrical components
• Familiarity with power electronics double-pulse and transient thermal test equipment and procedures
• Experience with object-oriented software development in MATLAB or a similar technical computing language (Python, Julia, C++)

What you'll receive in return:

As part of the Ford family, you'll enjoy excellent compensation and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation and much more. You'll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition.

If you have what it takes to help us redefine the future of mobility, we would love to have you join us.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status.

For information on Ford's salary and benefits, please visit: https://corporate.ford.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en-us/documents/careers/2024-benefits-and-comp-GSR-sal-plan-4.pdf