Business Development, Communication Skills, Computer Networks, Customer Relations, Customer Support/Service, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electronics, Laboratory, Laboratory Testing, Low Voltage (LV), Mandarin Chinese Language, Manufacturing, Network Operations Center, Post-Sales, Power Engineering, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Product Support, Project Estimates, Project Planning, Sales/Support Engineering (SE), Seminars, Software Administration, Software Engineering, Technical Delivery, Technical Leadership, Technical Presentation, Technical Sales, Technical Support, Technical Writing, Technical/Engineering Design, Time Management, Topology, Validation Testing, Verification Engineering, Work From Home
Principal Applications Engineer – Power Electronics (DC-DC Converters)
Location: San Jose / Milpitas, CA (hybrid)
Compensation: $170,000 – $190,000 base + 15% or higher annual bonus (historically higher)
Relocation: Available assistance if needed, preference for local candidates
Overview
We are seeking a senior-level Principal Applications Engineer with deep expertise in low-voltage DC-DC converters (Buck conversion products) to support advanced power module products used in high-performance computing, networking, storage, and other demanding applications.
This role is highly technical and customer-facing, combining hands-on lab work, post-sales design-in support, and close collaboration with internal design, validation, and field engineering teams. The position is based in the San Jose / Milpitas area and supports a major local customer.
The ideal candidate is a former design engineer or verification engineer who has worked directly on DC-DC converter designs and enjoys solving complex technical problems in lab environments while working closely with customers.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the technical subject matter expert for DC-DC converter and buck conversion products.
- Provide post-sales technical guidance and design-in support to customer engineering teams.
- Conduct complex qualification and verification testing in local labs and at customer sites (approximately 50–75% onsite depending on project phase).
- Support field engineers by resolving advanced technical questions and system-level issues.
- Verify products against customer specifications and application requirements.
- Collaborate closely with internal design engineering, validation, manufacturing, and business development teams to resolve issues and deliver results on schedule.
- Translate customer technical needs into product recommendations, specifications, and development feedback.
- Identify potential design or integration risks early and communicate clearly with both customers and internal teams.
- Coordinate product integration efforts between component suppliers, internal teams, and customers.
- Develop and deliver technical presentations and seminars for customers and field engineering teams.
- Define initial project scope, prepare project plans, and maintain technical documentation.
- May sit onsite with customers locally for extended periods during critical project phases.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (Master’s preferred).
- 8+ years of experience in design engineering, applications engineering, or verification engineering within power electronics.
- Strong hands-on experience with low-voltage DC-DC converter design, validation, and application support.
- Deep understanding of power conversion topologies, power integrity, thermal considerations, and system-level performance tradeoffs.
- Extensive comfort working in lab environments performing qualification and validation testing.
- Proven ability to support mid-to-large customers in complex technical environments.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to customers and internal teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Background in power modules used for data centers, networking, computing, or industrial systems.
- Experience supporting field application engineering teams.
- Mandarin language skills are a plus.
Work Environment
- Hybrid role based in the San Jose area.
- Work from home option when not performing lab or customer-site work.
- Significant hands-on lab exposure using advanced power electronics platforms.
- Close collaboration with global engineering and manufacturing teams.
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Sterling Engineering, Inc.
Sterling Engineering has been a trusted partner for engineering, project management, and staffing solutions for over five decades. We provide exceptional engineering/technical recruitment and engineering project services to clients nationwide:
- Engineering & Technical Recruitment - With our focus on engineering, technical, and IT, Sterling has the in-depth knowledge, industry expertise, and robust employee pipeline it takes to rapidly find talent for even the most difficult to fill positions. Sterling’s extensive recruitment methodology allows us to engage the most talented employees in the marketplace. We offer exciting work and career-building opportunities for our candidates, along with expert support at every step of the process.
- Engineering Project Services – Our experienced, multi-disciplined team of project managers, engineers, and designers, led by licensed Professional Engineers (PE), provide project management, engineering, design, and Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) to manufacturing, OEM, and R&D customers. We work on complex, highly technical projects across a number of industry sectors, and our ability to scale and seamlessly integrate at multiple levels of your organization is what differentiates us.
Sterling offers a unique combination of engineering solutions and Best of Staffing level service to help our clients and talent achieve their goals.
500 to 999 employees
Staffing/Employment Agencies
http://www.sterling-engineering.com