General Motors

Traction Inverter Power Stage Gate Drive & PCB Lead Engineer

General Motors • $110K — $130K *
Warren, MI 48089In-Person
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical or electronics engineering, or related field; equivalent experience accepted.
  • 8+ years in power electronics, gate drive circuit design, or automotive electronics.
  • Expertise in automotive traction inverter hardware, high-voltage design, and power-switching behavior.
  • Proficient with IGBT, SiC, and GaN technologies, including their thermal and EMC implications.
  • Strong understanding of PCB design, materials, and high-voltage safety practices.
  • Knowledge of EMC/EMI design principles and reliability engineering practices.
  • Demonstrated ability in delivering hardware products through cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the expert in traction inverter power electronics and gate drive circuitry.
  • Lead the design architecture, schematic development, and component selection for inverters.
  • Define the PCB architecture and strategies for thermal and high-voltage applications.
  • Direct verification plans for PCB, ensuring compliance with thermal, EMC, and reliability standards.
  • Facilitate structured problem solving and root-cause analysis for technical issues.
  • Drive program execution from development through to production maturity.
  • Provide technical leadership to suppliers and oversee their compliance with engineering standards.

Benefits

  • Hybrid work model with flexible location options.
  • Opportunities for professional development and mentoring.
  • Engagement in high-visibility projects influencing electrification strategy.
  • Leadership role with cross-functional collaboration opportunities.
Full Job Description
Job Description

This role is within the Energy Conversion Management Hardware Organization, specifically in the Traction Inverter Power Module & Low Voltage Hardware team.

We are seeking a technical lead to join our team as "The Lead Traction Inverter Power Electronics Engineer". This role provides end-to-end technical ownership for traction inverter gate drive circuitry, PCB design, hardware architecture, supplier execution, validation, production launch, and field-performance improvement.

The engineer will lead complex, high-visibility work across Product Engineering, Systems Engineering, Controls and Software, EMC, Reliability, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, Program Management, and external suppliers. The role requires deep power-electronics expertise, strong technical influence, disciplined issue resolution, and the ability to develop scalable engineering standards that support GM's electrification strategy.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the subject-matter expert for traction inverter power electronics, gate drive circuitry, high-voltage PCB design, hardware integration, and power-electronics packaging.


  • Lead inverter hardware architecture, requirements translation, schematic development, component selection, circuit simulation, layout supervision, design reviews, DFMEA, and production-intent design release.


  • Define and maintain PCB architecture, stack-up, grounding, isolation, protection, sensing, thermal, EMC, and high-voltage design strategies for robust traction inverter applications.


  • Apply advanced knowledge of IGBT, SiC, and GaN switching technologies, gate-drive requirements, parasitic effects, thermal behavior, EMC implications, and inverter fault mitigation.


  • Own or direct gate drive circuit and PCB verification and validation plans, including electrical, thermal, EMC, vibration, environmental, reliability, high-voltage, double-pulse, and production-test activities.


  • Lead structured problem solving, root-cause analysis, GM 5-Phase investigations, PRTS actions, corrective-action verification, and field or launch issue resolution.


  • Drive program execution from advanced development and sourcing through design release, prototype builds, validation, launch readiness, production maturity, and field-performance improvement.


  • Provide supplier and manufacturing technical leadership, including statements of work, quotation reviews, technical negotiations, design reviews, process capability, change control, traceability, containment, and corrective action.


  • Develop common design standards, reusable architectures, checklists, templates, lessons learned, production test limits, and technical documentation for inverter programs.


  • Mentor engineers and technical specialists, lead cross-functional workgroups, communicate complex technical issues to senior stakeholders, and influence technical decisions across organizations.


Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Electronics Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related engineering discipline; equivalent technical education and demonstrated experience may be considered in accordance with GM policy.


  • More than 8 years of professional experience in power electronics, gate drive circuit and PCB design, automotive electronics, or a closely related field.


  • Advanced knowledge of automotive traction inverter hardware, high-voltage and high-current gate-drive design, power-switching behavior, sensing, protection circuits, isolation, grounding, filtering, and control interfaces.


  • Strong experience with IGBT, SiC, and GaN power-switch technologies, including switching characteristics, gate-drive requirements, parasitic sensitivity, thermal behavior, EMC implications, and inverter protection strategies.


  • Strong understanding of PCB materials, stack-ups, copper distribution, thermal management, solder technologies, via structures, surface finishes, reliability mechanisms, and high-voltage safety practices.


  • Working knowledge of EMC/EMI design, emissions and immunity, functional safety concepts, reliability engineering, DFMEA, PFMEA, design verification, change management, supplier quality, manufacturing processes, end-of-line testing, and production launch.


  • Demonstrated ability to deliver complex hardware products from concept through validation and production while leading cross-functional teams, suppliers, issue-resolution activities, and engineering documentation.


  • Strong technical leadership, systems thinking, independent judgment, structured problem solving, data analysis, communication, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.


  • Ability to manage multiple high-priority workstreams with autonomy, coach engineers, and create clear technical requirements, design rules, review materials, validation plans, and executive-level recommendations.


Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related field.


  • 10+ years of relevant experience in Traction Inverter Gate Drive Circuitry Design and Execution.


  • Experience with traction inverters, electric drive units, onboard chargers, DC/DC converters, batteries, or comparable automotive power-electronics systems.


  • Experience with SiC or silicon power modules, high-frequency switching, advanced gate drivers, isolated communications, high-voltage sensing, and gate drive power supplies.


  • Experience using Siemens Xpedition or similar tools for gate drive circuit and traction inverter PCB design.


  • Experience with automotive EMC standards, inverter dynamometer testing, environmental validation, double-pulse testing, high-voltage bench testing, production-test-limit development, and failure analysis.


  • Experience working with global suppliers, electronics manufacturing partners, cost-reduction initiatives, design standardization, platform reuse, and design-to-value activities.


  • Experience using Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or similar tools for engineering analysis, test automation, data reduction, or failure investigation.


GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.The selected candidate will be required to travel

About General Motors

General Motors Company engages in the manufacture and sale of cars and trucks in the United States, China, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy. It offers sedans, crossovers, sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, coupes, sports/convertibles and hybrid vehicles, hatchbacks/wagons, and vans, as well as mini cars in India. The company also provides parts and accessories, such as iPod and MP3 compatibility, mobility accessories, performance parts, AC parts and services, and merchandise. In addition, it offers vehicle safety, security, and information services. The company provides used vehicles. It offers its products through dealers and distributors. General Motors Company was formerly known as NGMCO, Inc. and changed its name to General Motors Company in July 2009. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Detroit, Michigan. It operates manufacturing facilities in India, the United States, and Canada. General Motors Company operates as a subsidiary of the United States Department of The Treasury. General Motors led global vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, longer than any other automaker, and is currently among the world's largest automakers by vehicle unit sales. General Motors acts in most countries outside the USA via wholly-owned subsidiaries but operates in China through 10 joint ventures. GM's OnStar subsidiary provides vehicle safety, security, and information services. In 2009, General Motors shed several brands, closing Saturn, Pontiac, and Hummer, and emerged from a government-backed Chapter 11 reorganization. In 2010, GM made an initial public offering IPOs to date and returned to profitability later that year.

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Learn more about General Motors
Size
157,000 employees
Market Cap
$46.9 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
$6.4 billion
Founded
1908
5 Year Trend
-3.2%
Revenue
$122.4 billion
NASDAQ
GM
* Ladders Estimates

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