Lead Materials Engineer (Electrical Insulation)

TL;DR

Lead Materials Engineer (Electrical Insulation): Developing and qualifying insulation systems for medium-voltage power electronics with an accent on dielectric materials and long-term reliability. Focus on solving complex failures like partial discharge and breakdown to ensure grid-scale hardware stability.

Location: On-site in Scotts Valley, USA

Salary: $130,000 – $189,000 per year

Company

hirify.global is a startup building cutting-edge power electronics to accelerate the electrification of the 21st-century grid.

What you will do

• Develop and qualify insulation systems for high-power-density, medium-voltage power electronics intended for scale production.
• Define material selection criteria and qualification plans for dielectric materials, interfaces, and insulation assemblies.
• Characterize dielectric strength, partial discharge behavior, thermal performance, and long-term aging.
• Lead technical investigations into failure modes such as breakdown, delamination, and thermomechanical degradation.
• Develop robust processes for potting, molding, encapsulation, and coating in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Establish internal standards and design rules for insulation systems as the product platform scales.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience designing or qualifying solid dielectric materials or insulation systems for medium- or high-voltage products.
• Deep knowledge of high-voltage fundamentals, including electric field stress and dielectric breakdown mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of polymer dielectrics and their interfaces with metals, ceramics, and semiconductors.
• Hands-on experience with potting, casting, molding, or encapsulation for high-voltage hardware.
• Proven experience leading failure analysis for insulation-related issues in prototype or fielded hardware.
• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice to have

• Experience developing novel dielectric material systems to improve thermal conductivity or adhesion.
• Knowledge of reliability engineering methods such as Weibull analysis, HALT, or physics-of-failure approaches.
• Experience with partial discharge measurement methods and high-voltage test fixture design.
• Track record of shipping medium-voltage products with demonstrated field reliability.
• Advanced degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or Polymer Science.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal and technical growth.
• Dynamic work culture driven by first-principles engineering and a bias toward hands-on execution.
• Competitive compensation package including salary and equity.
• Comprehensive benefits package.