Principal Systems Engineer
Sterling Engineering, Inc.
San Jose, CA
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JOB DETAILS
LOCATION
San Jose, CA
POSTED
30+ days ago
Title: Principal Systems Engineer
Compensation: $180,000–$205,000 base salary + 15% annual bonus
Reports to: Director of Global Applications Engineering
Overview
We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to join our Power Electronics Division. This is a senior, customer-facing, pre-sales focused role for a highly experienced power electronics technologist. The position serves as a trusted technical advisor to some of the world’s most advanced technology companies, partnering closely with customers and internal engineering teams to shape next-generation power system solutions.
This role is highly conceptual and systems-oriented. There is no lab or hands-on testing component. Success in this position requires deep expertise in DC-DC converters and power systems, strong customer communication skills, and the ability to translate complex technical requirements into innovative, scalable architectures.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as a senior technical authority supporting pre-sales and customer engagements across major West Coast accounts
- Partner closely with leading customers to understand system-level requirements and propose advanced power solutions
- Serve as a technical bridge between customers, applications engineering, product management, and design engineering teams
- Lead system-level architecture discussions involving DC-DC converters and custom power solutions
- Support strategic accounts, including hyperscale and advanced technology customers
- Influence product direction by providing customer-driven technical insights to internal stakeholders
- Deliver high-impact technical presentations, solution reviews, and executive-level discussions
- Travel regularly to customer sites along the West Coast, primarily in San Jose/Milpitas and Seattle
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline (Master’s degree preferred)
- In-depth knowledge of DC-DC converters and power electronics systems (Subject Matter Expert)
- Background in applications engineering, field applications engineering, or systems engineering
- Proven experience in customer-facing, pre-sales, or technical advisory roles
- Strong system-level thinking with the ability to evaluate tradeoffs and design custom solutions
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage both deeply technical teams and senior customer stakeholders
- Experience supporting large, sophisticated customers in data center, cloud, or advanced computing environments
About the Company
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