Lead Power Electronics Engineer

About the Role 

Whisper Aero is looking for a Lead Power Electronics Engineer to own the development of the next generation of motor controllers and electronics that drive our propulsion systems. This is a unique opportunity to take technical ownership of a critical piece of our technology, lead a talented team of engineers, and help shape the future of electric aviation. 

 

In this role, you'll lead the development of our motor controllers from initial concept through detailed design, prototyping, testing, and validation. You'll be responsible for the complete controller, spanning high voltage power electronics, embedded hardware, firmware, software, and system integration. You'll build and lead a multidisciplinary team, drive key technical decisions and work closely with our motor, propulsion, and systems engineering teams to deliver tightly integrated, high performance propulsion solutions. 

 

We're looking for someone who combines deep technical expertise with the desire to build, lead, and deliver; someone who is as comfortable making critical architecture decisions as they are getting hands-on in the lab and solving challenging problems alongside their team. This is an opportunity to own a product from the ground up, push the boundaries of power electronics, and see your designs powering the next generation of aircraft. 

What You’ll Do 

• Own the motor controller. Lead the end-to-end development of Whisper Aero's motor controllers and associated electronics from requirements of definition and system architecture through detailed design, prototyping, integration, verification, and validation. 

• Build and lead a high-performance team. Manage, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team of hardware, firmware, and software engineers. Set technical direction, establish priorities, and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and engineering excellence. 

• Define the technical architecture. Lead key design decisions across power electronics, embedded control hardware, firmware, and software. 

• Drive hardware and software integration. Oversee the development of embedded control systems, including microcontroller/DSP/FPGA selection, motor control firmware, communication interfaces, diagnostics, and supervisory software. 

• Turn designs into working hardware. Lead schematic and PCB design reviews, component selection, prototyping, debugging, and design iterations while remaining hands on with designs you develop. 

• Prove it works. Own the test and validation strategy for motor controllers including dynamometer and integrated propulsion testing, hardware-in-the-loop testing, environmental qualification, and EMI/EMC compliance. 

• Work across disciplines. Collaborate closely with motor design, mechanical, thermal, propulsion, and systems engineers to optimize the performance and integration of our complete electric propulsion systems. 

• Take products from prototype to production. Drive design for manufacturability, reliability, and scalability by working with suppliers and manufacturing partners to transition designs into production ready hardware. 

• Shape how we engineer. Establish technical standards, development processes, design review practices, and engineering tools that enable the team to move quickly without compromising safety, quality, or performance. 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or related technical field. 

• 8+ years of experience developing motor controllers, inverters, or high-performance power electronics systems, including significant ownership of system architecture and design. 

• Demonstrated experience leading engineers and delivering complex, multidisciplinary hardware development programs. 

• Strong technical understanding of inverter and motor controller architectures, including power semiconductor selection, gate drivers, DC/DC converters, power supplies, sensing, protection, and control electronics. 

• Experience designing, integrating, and testing high voltage power electronics systems (270VDC or higher). 

• Working knowledge of embedded control systems, motor control algorithms, firmware development, and hardware/software integration. 

•  PCB schematic design, layout, component selection, and hardware debugging. 

• Designed for EMI/EMC performance and supporting compliance testing. 

• Development and execution of hardware verification and validation plans including environmental and electrical testing. 

• Strong technical judgment, communication, and leadership skills with the ability to make decisions, drive execution, and develop the engineers around you. 

• A willingness to work on tasks outside your primary job functions. 

• This position requires access to information, technology, or materials subject to U.S. export control laws. To comply with these regulations, applicants must be authorized to access export-controlled information under applicable U.S. laws and regulations. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering, power electronics, or a related field. 

• Development of aerospace or other safety critical electronics systems. 

• Experience with RTCA DO-160 environmental qualification, DO-178C, DO-254, or ARP4754A development processes. 

• Use and troubleshooting of high-speed, high-power density electric motor drives including SiC or GaN power devices. 

• Interaction and understanding of field-oriented control, sensorless control, or other advanced motor control strategies. 

• Integrating motor drives directly into electric motor housings including thermal management, packaging, and EMI/EMC considerations. 

• Experience taking power electronics products from early prototypes through qualification and production.