Power Supply Design Engineer in Wakefield, Yorkshire

An exciting opportunity has arisen with a leading UK engineering manufacturer specialising in electrical connection systems and power solutions for the rail, aerospace and industrial sectors. The company is looking to appoint a Power Supply Design Engineer to play a key role in the development of high-reliability power electronics for critical rail applications based from their offices in West Yorkshire.

This well-established engineering business designs and manufactures specialist electrical systems used in demanding and safety-critical environments. As part of its continued growth, the company is seeking an experienced engineer to take ownership of switch mode power supply (SMPS) design activities, supporting innovative lighting and control systems used within rolling stock applications.

As a Power Supply Design Engineer, you will be responsible for the full design lifecycle of robust, high-reliability power supplies, from concept and architecture development through to testing, validation and production support. This is a hands-on technical role offering the opportunity to become a key contributor within the organisation's power electronics capability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Design and develop high-reliability SMPS power supplies (typically 400W-500W) for rail applications.
• Develop power solutions for lighting systems and control electronics used within rolling stock.
• Translate customer and system requirements into power supply architectures, schematics and detailed designs.
• Select key power electronics components including magnetics, switching devices, controllers and protection circuits.
• Optimise designs for efficiency, thermal performance, reliability and manufacturability.
• Perform electrical, thermal and EMC simulations and analysis.
• Build, test and validate prototypes, carrying out verification and compliance activities.
• Troubleshoot design issues and resolve performance challenges throughout the product lifecycle.
• Ensure designs meet rail industry standards, safety requirements and environmental constraints.
• Address EMC/EMI performance, thermal management and mechanical robustness requirements including shock and vibration.
• Collaborate closely with Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, Test and Project teams to ensure successful product delivery.
• Support products from concept through to production, including manufacturing support, field issue resolution and continuous improvement activities.

Key skills required include:

• Degree qualified in Electrical or Electronic Engineering or equivalent.
• Proven experience as a Power Electronics or SMPS Design Engineer.
• Strong background in the design of 400W power supplies, ideally around 500W.
• Experience designing products for harsh, industrial or safety-critical environments.
• Strong knowledge of AC-DC and DC-DC converter topologies.
• Experience with power electronics components including MOSFETs, IGBTs and magnetic components.
• Knowledge of simulation tools such as SPICE, MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent.
• Understanding of thermal design, EMC mitigation and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with PCB layout considerations for power electronics applications.

Desirable experience:

• Experience within the rail industry, particularly rolling stock systems, lighting systems or control electronics.
• Knowledge of rail-related EN and IEC standards.
• Experience working within safety-critical engineering environments.
• Background in low-volume, high-reliability product development.

Working environment and opportunities:

• Opportunity to take ownership of a key technical discipline within the business.
• Work on bespoke, high-reliability engineering solutions rather than high-volume consumer products.
• Direct involvement in products that support critical rail infrastructure and passenger systems.
• Collaborative engineering environment working alongside design, manufacturing and project teams.
• Opportunity to influence future product development and power electronics capability across the organisation.

This position would suit an experienced Power Supply Design Engineer looking to play a pivotal role in the development of advanced SMPS solutions for harsh rail environments, while taking ownership of a critical technical capability within a highly respected engineering business.