RT-R/TEC-PCE/00264 Electrical Power Conditioning and Distribution Engineer

Job Introduction

Serco is a FTSE 250 international service company that improves the quality and efficiency of essential services that matter to millions of people around the world. The work we do for national and local governments involves us in the most important areas of public services, including science and defence.

Serco’s space heritage over the last 40 years has placed us in the Space News Top 50 Space Industry Manufacturing and Services Companies. With over 1500 staff in the space business covering a wide spectrum of experience and skills, we convey best practice, expertise and innovation in our business.

For our activities in ESTEC, we are currently looking for an Electrical Power Conditioning and Distribution Engineer.

Main Responsibilities

The Key Person will be responsible for the following tasks:

• The design, development and test of spacecraft power systems for on-board applications.
  • Encompasses, definition of centralised power systems with overall power levels up to 25 kilowatts, their interfaces, with respect to solar arrays and batteries, the attendant power distribution/protection equipments and pyrotechnic activation functions. Detailed tasks include the overall system design necessary for the development of fault-tolerant power control and distribution concepts, the detailed design of the power regulators and the identification/use of tools and methods for ensuring dependable design and verification.
• The development of simulation blocks for system analysis; batteries, solar cells & arrays, power control and distribution units, useful for the independent evaluation of critical power and energy budgets.
• Support to laboratory activities concerning design and development or verification of circuits for power management and distribution; solar array and battery conversion electronics, power distribution and protection electronics, power conversion for generic and specific purposes, including redundancy and protections
• Involvement in critical R&D activities support, by simulation, worst-case analysis and laboratory testing of the overall system or of the most critical sub-units
• Assisting to the development and validation of worst-case simulation blocks for electrical equipment analysis; converters, shunt regulators, current limiters, protections, critical telemetry or telecommand functions; for the independent check of the most critical equipment functionality and performances, in support to all programmes reviews where the power conditioning section is involved.
• The development and verification of high voltage design technologies and associated power converters, suitable for application as Electronic Power Conditioners, EPCs, for specialized spacecraft payloads such as Travelling Wave Tube Assemblies, TWTA’s, and Electric Propulsion Concepts.

Successful Candidate

Applicants shall bring an Engineering PhD or Masters in in Electrical or Electronic Engineering or Physics, at least 4 years of working experience and the following:

• good electrical power processing background, together with a good experience of digital and analogue electronics and control theory;
• specific experience in the domain of power conditioning electronics together, with ‘hands on’ knowledge of the circuit design of such systems;
• good experience in the development of computer models, especially with SPICE-based simulators;
• knowledge and experience on High Voltage power conditioning for space application constitute an asset.

Application procedure

Important:

All applicants must hold a current valid work permit for the Netherlands or be EU nationals.

Due to the high interest these roles generate, Serco reserves the right to commence, alter or conclude the recruitment process prior to the closing date. If shortlisted, a recruiter will contact you directly. If not, your application will remain in our database and can be matched against future openings. You can also login at any time to apply to additional positions.