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Renewable Energy, Battery Recycling, Manufacturing, Cleantech, Automotive

Staff Power Systems Engineer, Hardware in Loop

San Francisco, CAOnsiteFull Time$170,000–$220,000 /yrPosted 1 month agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • RTDS/RSCAD
  • CHIL
  • Hardware-in-the-Loop
  • real-time power system simulation
  • Python
  • C++
  • test automation
  • Power Systems Engineer
  • grid-connected
  • off-grid applications

Nice to have

  • MATLAB/Simulink
  • PSCAD

Role summary

Redwood Materials is seeking a Power Systems Engineer, Hardware in the Loop to join their energy storage team. This role focuses on developing and validating battery energy storage system (BESS) and inverter models using RTDS/RSCAD and CHIL platforms for grid-connected and off-grid applications. Responsibilities include performing dynamic and transient testing, supporting control validation and system integration, and designing/developing control strategies. The engineer will also build and maintain CHIL test platforms, conduct dynamic and transient studies, troubleshoot integration issues, and contribute to the expansion of RTDS laboratory capabilities. A strong understanding of electrical engineering fundamentals, control theory, and programming skills (Python, C, C++) are essential. Experience with simulation tools like PSCAD and MATLAB/Simulink is preferred.

About Redwood Materials

Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.

Redwood is localizing a global battery supply chain that seamlessly integrates recovery, reuse, and recycling — keeping critical minerals in circulation and driving the energy transition. We're delivering low-cost and large-scale energy storage and producing battery materials in the U.S. for the first time, all from batteries we already have. The Power Systems Engineer, Hardware in the Loop will develop and validate BESS and inverter models using RTDS/RSCAD and CHIL platforms for grid-connected and off-grid applications, perform dynamic and transient testing, and support control validation, system integration, and project-specific performance requirements. This is a 100% on-site role. The role works closely with the energy storage team to develop accurate system models and design recommendations grounded in industry codes and standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and validate power system and inverter control strategies using RTDS/RSCAD to meet project-specific grid requirements, including grid-forming and grid-following operation, ride-through, droop control, and microgrid performance.
  • Develop and maintain Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (CHIL) test platforms integrating RTDS with inverter controllers, site controllers, protection relays, metering, and communication interfaces; create test plans, automate test execution, analyze results, and maintain clear technical documentation.
  • Build and validate real-time power system models of BESS, PV, inverters, transformers, generators, loads, and balance-of-plant equipment for both grid-connected and islanded applications.
  • Perform dynamic and transient studies to evaluate system stability, black start, load pickup, inverter interactions, fault response, protection performance, and transitions between operating modes.
  • Identify and resolve control, modeling, communication, and hardware-in-the-loop integration issues using first-principles power system analysis, simulation results, and structured troubleshooting.
  • Support validation and benchmarking of PSCAD, PSS/E, and other offline simulation models against RTDS/CHIL results and field performance where applicable.
  • Develop and expand in-house RTDS laboratory capabilities, including model integration, I/O scaling, communication interfaces, test automation, equipment selection, and standardized validation procedures.
  • Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

  • 3–5 years of experience as a power systems engineer, with hands-on experience in RTDS/RSCAD, HIL/CHIL testing, or real-time power system simulation.
  • MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Controls, or a closely related discipline.
  • Proven experience developing and supporting integrated hardware and software test environments, including hands-on troubleshooting and debugging.
  • Ability to develop test automation, scripts, or control functions using Python, C, C++, or a similar programming language.
  • Strong experience with engineering simulation tools such as PSCAD, MATLAB/Simulink, or comparable platforms.
  • Solid understanding of electrical engineering fundamentals, circuit behavior, and control theory.
  • Practical experience with communication networks, laboratory measurement equipment, and real-time simulation platforms such as RTDS, OPAL-RT, Typhoon HIL,
  • In accordance with California pay transparency laws, the salary range for this position is listed below. Actual compensation may vary based on a variety of factors, including experience, education, and skills.

    California Pay Range:$170,000—$220,000 USD

    The position is full-time. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

    We collect personal information (PI) from you in connection with your application for employment with Redwood Materials, including the following categories of PI: identifiers, personal records, professional or employment information, and inferences drawn from your PI. We collect your PI for our purposes, including performing services and operations related to your potential employment. If you have additional privacy-related questions, please contact us at privacy@redwoodmaterials.com.

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