Tau is a venture-backed advanced technology company based in the Bay Area (Redwood City, CA). We design and develop next-generation products for electrification, constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. The company was started because we believe the key to a more sustainable future requires modern power conversion systems to increase the security of the world's energy. We have pioneered technologies that leverage software-enabled hardware to provide industry-leading scale, economics, and efficiencies. Our systems include innovations across electric machines, inverters, controllers, thermal management, simulation, and charging systems.

Tau's team of engineers, scientists, technologists, operators, and industry leaders continues to advance our internal technology roadmap while collaborating with commercial partners to deploy our existing products to market. They are relentlessly pursuing the creation of efficient power conversion systems for a more sustainable future. At our core, Tau is made of exceptionally talented and mission-aligned people. Developing complex electromechanical systems is an interdisciplinary challenge. We want to expand our team with diverse engineering, scientific, and operational expertise.

About you

We are looking for people who aren't afraid to take on new challenges and are as passionate about energy and electrification as we are:

• You find significant challenges exciting and enjoy discovering and defining problems as much as solving them.
• You deliver. You may enjoy thoughtful conversations about problems and perfecting design, but ultimately, you know that delivering innovative, effective, and reliable solutions matters.
• You are a cross-disciplinary team member. You are excited to work with, learn from, and contribute to technology teams ranging from electromagnetics, power electronics, controls systems, mechanical, materials, software, computational physics, and beyond.

About the role

We are seeking a Staff Power Electronics and Controls Engineer to join our growing team, advancing our internal technology roadmap and translating our innovative products to market with our commercial partners.

As a member of the power electronics and controls team, you will model, design, implement, test and benchmark the motor controls and power electronics of current and future Tau motor drives - including both high and low voltage applications. The role is broken down into two core areas (1) controls and (2) power electronics:

Controls
What You'll Do

• Help define requirements for motor control software and interfacing hardware components including voltage and current sensors, power stages, speed sensors
• Understand, drive design of, and implement motor controller functionality, behaviors, and algorithms
• Translate algorithms into software implementation and integrate that into the firmware framework
• Test, validate, and troubleshoot controller implementation
• Develop, test, and validate motor control algorithms in the laboratory and in-vehicle
• Maintain awareness of and influence research and development in key component technologies that influence future inverter / motor designs and motor control
• Advance Tau's intellectual property in electric motor design and motor controls

What You'll Bring

• Strong fundamentals of AC electric motors and drive systems analysis, modeling and control
• Solid background in linear systems analysis, stability, and controller design
• Basic proficiency with embedded firmware development in C/C++
• Model development and data analysis in Python or Matlab/Simulink
• Strong communication and preference for working in teams

Desired Skills

• In-depth understanding of motor control techniques such as slip-based control, field oriented control, direct torque control
• Experience with model-predictive control (MPC), reference generation, and advanced estimation techniques
• Prior experience with flux estimation methods, 3-phase power control, analytical control system theory development and analysis
• Experience with various PWM schemes such as space vector, discontinuous, and sinusoidal modulation, including data-acquisition methods
• Familiarity with sensorless motor control algorithms and low speed control techniques
• Capability of delivering high-quality C code in an embedded microcontroller environment
• System-oriented understanding of thermal, vehicle-level torque control, high voltage DC-link integration, efficiency optimization, and firmware integration for electric drives

Power Electronics
What You'll Do

• Design and build hardware of power electronics converters for use in automotive and energy storage applications
• Start to finish ownership of hardware - from specification to design, prototype, reliability validation and high-volume manufacturing
• Collaborate with - and lead - mechanical, PCB layout, and firmware engineering teams to successfully to design, validate and manufacture power converters
• Architecture and modeling of new power converter topologies that achieve better performance

What You'll Bring

• Automotive experience, or the equivalent in experience and evidence of exceptional ability.
• Familiarity with AC/DC, DC/DC and DC/AC applications and control of variable frequency converters
• Strong understanding of power electronics topologies
• Experience with high voltage power semiconductor selection (Si/SiC/GaN MOSFET's, Diodes), gate drive and protection circuit design
• Strong understanding of switching waveforms, semiconductor losses and experience with loss modeling
• System understanding of device characteristics, gate driving circuit design, thermal design, topologies, modulation schemes, control strategies in high- and low-voltage power converters
• Familiar with tools such as PLECS, PSCAD/EMTDC, MATLAB/Simulink, dSPACE
• Experience with advanced modulation approaches for achieving highly efficiency power electronic converter designs
• Experience designing large state machines for complex power converter implementations
• Familiar with analog design, digital design, mixed signal design (ADCs/DACs) and their use in relation to control design
• Solid understanding of the theory and application of magnetics (inductors, transformers) and capacitors (electrolytic, film and ceramic) used for power conversion
• Good experience with design analog/digital circuits and micro-processors
• Familiar with schematic capture and power converter circuit simulation tools
• Experience in supervision of PCB layout for minimal stray inductance and capacitance, placement strategies for better manufacturability, power/signal plane definition and EMC optimization
• Proficiency with hands-on EE tools (oscilloscopes, network analyzers, signal generators etc)

Desired Skills

• Masters or PhD degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechatronic engineering, or equivalent degree with a focus on power electronics and/or control systems
• Awareness of UL and CE electrical safety requirements and EMC requirements relevant to the design of power converters
• Knowledge in environmental, reliability, and safety requirements for Automotive, Industrial & Residential applications
• Proven ability to design systems that are resilient to faults and errors

US Salary Information

$120,000.00 - $210,000.00

Tau is committed to paying competitive compensation that is fair and equitable. Your experience, qualifications, training, critical skills, and/or business considerations determine your compensation. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package that may include an annual performance bonus, equity, and other incentive compensation plans considered part of Tau's total compensation package. To learn more about our top-tier benefits, please visit www.taumotors.com. The level will depend on the candidate's experience. Our ideal candidate exhibits a can-do attitude and approaches his or her work with vigor and determination. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate excellence in their respective fields and possess the ability to learn quickly within a fast-paced environment.

Perks

• Become part of an emerging company during a rapid growth phase-within an industry undergoing dramatic transformation for a global imperative.
• Work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields to: (1) attack some of the most pressing issues of today while (2) contributing to technically demanding and deeply innovative solutions.
• Growth potential-we advance team members who have an outsized impact.
• Competitive compensation based upon experience level, including stock options-we believe in capturing value in the future we create together.
• Flexible time off and paid holidays.
• Centrally located in the Bay Area on the Peninsula in vibrant downtown Redwood City
  • Blocks from the Caltrain
  • Walking distance to food and entertainment
  • Easy access to both the 101 and 280
• Excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for full time team members.
• Comprehensive benefits including 401(k), HSA and FSA benefits, commuter benefits, ancillary benefits including OneMedical membership, a variety of telehealth services, and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Tau is an equal opportunity employer that guarantees a work environment that respects and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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