Principal Electrical Engineer

Company Overview

Innovations in Optics, Inc. is at the forefront of developing industry-leading ultra high brightness LED products, utilizing patented and patent-pending optics to optimize output uniformity and efficiency. Our multidisciplinary approach to systems design enables us to deliver innovative optical solutions and high-performance LED products to clients worldwide.

Job Summary

Position Overview

Innovations in Optics is seeking a Principal Power Electronics Engineer to lead the design and development of advanced power electronics for high-performance LED illumination systems.

This role is focused on the architecture, design, analysis, and validation of high-current LED drivers, DC-DC converters, power management systems, and associated analog circuitry. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership for electrical designs from concept through production and will play a key role in defining the next generation of IOI products.

The ideal candidate has deep expertise in power electronics, strong analog design skills, and a proven track record developing robust products for demanding commercial, industrial, medical, aerospace, or defense applications.

While our products utilize embedded controllers for digital control and communications, firmware development is performed by dedicated software resources. This role requires sufficient embedded systems knowledge to define control requirements and collaborate effectively with firmware engineers but is not a firmware development position.

Key Responsibilities:

Power Electronics Design

• Lead the design and development of high-current LED driver systems.
• Design DC-DC power converters and switch-mode power supplies.
• Develop current regulation architectures for precision LED applications.
• Analyze and design control loops, compensation networks, and power-stage stability.
• Optimize efficiency, thermal performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Perform worst-case, tolerance, and failure-mode analyses.

Analog & Hardware Design

• Design precision analog circuits for sensing, control, protection, and monitoring.
• Perform circuit simulation and design verification using industry-standard tools.
• Develop schematics and provide guidance during PCB layout and design reviews.
• Support prototype bring-up, debugging, and validation testing.
• Develop engineering documentation and design reports.

System Development

• Translate product requirements into electrical architectures and detailed designs.
• Work closely with firmware engineers to define digital control requirements and hardware interfaces.
• Collaborate with optical, mechanical, manufacturing, and quality teams.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for field and production issues.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across projects.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

· Typically, 15+ years of relevant electrical engineering experience; candidates with fewer years and equivalent demonstrated technical depth and production ownership will also be considered.

· Extensive recent, hands-on experience personally designing and validating power electronics for production products.

· Demonstrated personal ownership of production power-converter designs, with the ability to explain design calculations, component selection, layout decisions, measured performance, and resolution of significant technical failures.

Technical Expertise:

Power Electronics

• DC-DC converter design.
• Switch-mode power supply design.
• Control loop analysis and compensation.
• High-current power systems.
• Power system modeling and simulation.
• Thermal considerations for power electronics.

· Practical experience designing switching power converters for EMC/EMI performance and troubleshooting conducted and radiated emissions.

Analog Electronics

• Precision analog circuit design.
• Current sensing and regulation.
• Op-amp-based circuit design.
• Signal conditioning and measurement circuits.
• Design verification and tolerance analysis.

Hardware Development

• Schematic capture and PCB design.
• Laboratory debugging and validation of electronic systems.
• Design-for-manufacturability and production support.
• Experience with Altium Designer or equivalent tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

Candidates possessing several of the following will be viewed favorably:

• High-power LED driver design experience.
• Medical, industrial, aerospace, or defense electronics experience.

· Experience planning and supporting formal EMC compliance testing and resolving compliance failures.

• Thermal design of high-power electronic systems.
• Safety and regulatory compliance experience (IEC, UL, medical, industrial).
• Digital power control architectures.
• RS-485, Modbus, CAN, or other industrial communication systems.
• Production test system development.
• Experience working with STM32 or similar microcontroller platforms.
• Experience collaborating closely with firmware development teams.

Tools & Software

• Altium Designer
• LTspice
• Excel
• MATLAB, Maple, or equivalent engineering analysis tools

Why Join IOI?

• Lead the development of advanced power electronics used in cutting-edge illumination systems.
• Own challenging designs from concept through production.
• Work directly with experts in optics, photonics, thermal engineering, and manufacturing.
• Join a highly technical, collaborative engineering team where your contributions have visible impact.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and long-term growth opportunities.

We are seeking a power electronics expert first—someone who enjoys designing robust, high-performance power systems and LED drivers. Familiarity with embedded control systems is valuable, but this is not a firmware development role.

The successful candidate will provide hands-on technical leadership and be accountable for power-electronics designs, working with existing electrical and firmware engineers through peer review to implement robust control strategies and product functionality.

Join our innovative team where your expertise will shape the future of high-brightness LED technology through pioneering electrical engineering solutions!

Pay: $160,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person