Power Electronics Control Engineer

What will you do as a PE Controls Engineer?

At Lightyear we are working on a new type of power converter to convert solar energy from PV panels on vehicles to their batteries. The converter is a multiple port converter (MPC) that is able to convert energy from multiple solar panels to multiple batteries. By intelligent combining several functions, this topology allows for a reduction in component count and improvement in efficiency.

You will be responsible for modelling the converter and developing the optimal control strategy for this type of converter. One of the main challenges is the high number of ports in the converter that can disturb your control compared to conventional multi-port power converters.
You will have to try multiple control strategies to discover which one works best in your simulations. It should of course also be possible to implement the controller in the actual power converter. This will be the next step in your job: implementing the controller on a working hardware prototype to see how your strategy works in real life.
In parallel you will also be working on developing an MPPT algorithm for the converter.
Later on you will also have to build an algorithm that maximizes the solar yield at vehicle level, considering the power usage of all components in the vehicle.

Furthermore, you will be responsible for:

• Modelling power converter control model in simulink for the converter.

• Validating models on the actual power converter

• Developing a controller for the power converter

• Develop algorithms for optimizing conversion strategy

• Validating control system performance on the actual power converter

• Validating conversion strategy algorithm on test setup

A day as a PE Controls Engineer

You will start the day with a quick meeting regarding all the open topics in the project and the progress you made and where you are stuck.

After that, you work in Matlab/Simulink (or your favorite alternative) to do physics based system identification and model validation, model-based control design, and simulations of the closed-loop control system. Besides model-based control engineering, you will perform your own measurements in our lab for system identification and model validation, and to assess the developed control system performance.

What do we expect from a PE Control Engineer?

In order to succeed in the dynamic world of Lightyear; pro-activity, professionalism, communication and adaptability are crucial. You are flexible and can work under pressure and not afraid of failing along the way. Furthermore, we are looking for someone with:

• BSc or MSc in control or power electronics or related

• Experience with control of power converters

• Experience with model based design and model based control

• Experience with control of Multi-Port Converters and/or Dual Active Bridge converters (DAB) is considered a plus

• Experience with embedded software (C, C++ or Rust) development is considered a plus

• Experience with MPPT algorithms is considered a plus

• PID control, model-based control, model-based design, droop-control, filtering (Biquad, IIR…), MPPT

• Matlab/Simulink and Python

• Available 32-40 hours per week

• Not afraid to make mistakes and looking to learn from the past;

• Mission driven and eager to deliver the change;

• A strong match between our core values and your values as a person;

• Proficient in English;

• Availability for 40 hours per week (with flexible working hours).

What can you expect from Lightyear?

In addition to a challenging role we also offer:

• A high degree of freedom and independence in your role

• A role within a multidisciplinary team consisting of highly motivated, inquisitive and talented people with a broad diversity of experience

• Participation in a good pension scheme 

• 40 vacation days per year (based on a 40 hour contract)