Power conversion will be an important driver to enable the transition from fossil to renewable energy. In a more electrical society power conversion will be required to connect, control and balance the different electricity users with the (distributed) renewable sources. The vision of the product line ‘Industrial Power Systems’ is to enable the industrial energy transition to full electrification and energy storage, by providing grid-connected high-power solutions to industrial and utility partners.
Next week I have to give a presentation to a big German company, to present a technical concept for a one-Gigawatt converter, to connect a Power-to-Gas (P2G) reactor to the electricity grid. The reactor is an innovative concept, which enables storage of surplus renewable energy, such as wind and solar, into gas and feeding it back into the electricity grid when needed.
Large scale storage of electrical energy into gas or liquids is an essential technology to comply with the challenges of the Paris Agreement. My colleagues and I will take care of the power conversion unit, transforming the AC grid voltage into the required DC process voltage. We have prepared the concept presentation with a multidisciplinary team, addressing electrical, mechanical and software solutions. We have to compete with several other suppliers, so we have emphasized the features of our unique solutions to achieve high efficiency and long lifetime for a very competitive price.
The basic concept for this solution was developed in close cooperation with the Eindhoven University of Technology. The technology is protected by a patent where the involved students are listed as inventors. Today we had an intensive discussion with our sales team to estimate our position and determine the price setting and conditions for our proposal. With our fully automated in-house production we can offer high quality for a competitive price. If the proposal is granted by the customer, a multidisciplinary team will be defined with both experienced and junior engineers to realize the power conversion unit.
We need fresh ideas and enthusiasm to move the industry from fossil fuels to renewable energy
Pros and cons
Contribute to a cleaner planet
Applying the latest technology in professional products
Design for in-house production facilities
Verification in a top-class laboratory
Work in a multidisciplinary and international team
Cooperate with the best universities in the world
Every day is a different day as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) designer at Prodrive Technologies. After getting a warm cup of coffee, I start my laptop and begin working on my current project. It is not just ‘connecting electrical components together with copper’; PCB designing is so much more.
As a PCB designer, I jump from project to project to design all kind of PCBs. One week I work on a giant high-speed board with still not enough space and the next week, I am creating a tiny high-power PCB which needs as much cooling as possible. By working on a great number of different projects, I gain a lot of experience in the many fields of electrical engineering.
Usually, I work together with electrical- and mechanical engineers to create the desired product. We tackle problems and try to optimize the design as much as possible. Also, close contact with the manufactures and assemblers of the PCB is very important. You can have the greatest ideas while designing, but the board should still be producible.
At Prodrive Technologies I got the chance to work with so many different talented colleagues to design amazing products and I learn something new from them every day!
A small tip: coffee and PCB designing goes well together, coffee and a PCB on the other hand, doesn’t.
Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness
PCB layout designer profile
BSc, BEng, MSc in Electrical Engineering or a related technical education
Pros and cons
Freedom to find the role that fits me best. If I don’t like what I am doing, I change to something that I do like
Flexible working hours
Contribute to impressive products
It is hard to stop my working day because there is so much more I want to do at Prodrive Technologies!
The Prodrive Technologies Mindset
Responsibility
You don’t just go to work, you feel responsible for your project
Flexible
You decide when, where and how much you want to work
Manufacturing
You like to think about manufacturability when designing
Initiative
You don’t sit and wait, you have a hands-on mentality
Have you got what it takes to become a Prodriver?
What we offer
- Perfect environment for people willing to take full responsibility in a project
- Unlimited growth opportunities and freedom in taking different roles in different projects
- Young and dynamic culture
- Unlimited personal budget for training courses, classes or studies
- We are open 24/7 and provide lunch, dinner and a company gym
- We keep management positions to a minimum, so there is virtually no hierarchy
- Create your future with your own personal development plan
- Tools and equipment such as an iPhone, and laptop
- The flexibility to work wherever and how much you want
- Salary that grows with your performance
- Opportunity to become a shareholder and entrepreneur in the company
- Travel allowance based on the days you are actually at Prodrive
- 33 vacation days
- Retirement plan
- Distribution of profits
Application steps
- We’ll take a look at your application within 5 working days.
- You will receive a link to Prodrive Technologies’ online aptitude test to see if you’re up for the challenge.
- We will set you up for a personal interview to ask you difficult questions about yourself. Afterwards, others will ask you some more difficult questions about your expertise.
- If we want to make you an offer and there's enough time left, we will discuss employment conditions directly after the interviews.
- If you survived everything, only your signature stands between you and being a Prodriver.