Senior Advanced Engineering Specialist

The Technology and Advanced Engineering team in Winnebago Motorhomes (WMH) business has the goal of identifying, developing, and justifying commercialization of significant growth opportunities for WHM businesses in the area of electrical power systems, connected and digital solutions, and advanced and smart materials for both fossil-fuel driven and electric driven recreational vehicles.

The Senior Advanced Engineering Specialist is expected to lead technology strategy and execution. This includes developing/evaluating technologies and establishing key partnerships both internally and externally to drive technological advancement in WMH next-generation products. He/She will be responsible for meeting the schedule, scope, cost, and technical targets for all engineering development efforts under his/her control.

The Senior Advanced Engineering Specialist should serve as a subject matter expert within the area of house and vehicle electrical systems, energy management, and model-based development. This includes developing and maintaining relationships with the external technical community and academia, active participation in industry or technical groups and events.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Performs electrical vehicle platform analysis and selection for next-gen Winnebago motorhomes.
• Develops and own vehicle platform and critical electrical component strategies.
• Develops scalable solutions for future fossil-free RV house energy management systems and solutions.
• Identifies and forge business partnerships, collaborates with cross-functional teams.
• Develops and leads technology/innovation projects.
• Integrates centralized control solution to vehicle electrical system.
• Conceptualize and implement smart energy ecosystem between vehicle electric powertrain, converters, inverters, chargers, house energy management system, energy storage and renewable energy.
• Manage and oversight contractors/suppliers.
• Collaborate with enterprise-level Advanced Technology Group (ATG) to develop new technologies and solutions.
• Identifies leading external partnerships, outside technologies and best practices to bring to Winnebago.
• Leads open innovation events with universities and external institutes that align with advanced engineering team strategy.
• Serves as a subject matter expert externally and internally. This includes leadership/active participation in external industry and technical groups, mentoring junior level staff and consulting internal business and partners.
• Actively contributes and guides team members on intellectual property generation.
• This position is in either Forest City, IA, or Eden Prairie, MN. If Eden Prairie location is chosen, it will be required traveling to the Winnebago Forest City location around 40%.

Critical Competencies

• System engineering - requirements and specifications of the electrical components and energy management system.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle system architecture - house and vehicle integration.
• Strong knowledge of electric vehicle drivetrain systems, EV charging EVSEs and infrastructure.
• Design and optimization of electrical power systems, including system level modeling to conduct trade studies and down-select architecture of electrical power systems, high voltage power systems, energy management or charging management.
• Dynamic systems modeling and analysis, performing technology research and development from concept to implementation.
• Proficient in energy/power management for electrical power system using model-based development tools such as Matlab/Simulink or AMESim.
• Experience with real time simulators such as DSPACE, OPAL-RT and/or RTDS.
• Proficient in embedded controls and software engineering.
• Knowledge of communication and network protocols such as CAN bus/wireless communication.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Control System Engineering or other related engineering fields from an accredited institution required. Master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of industrial experience.
• Experience in vehicle electrification is preferred.
• Program/project management experience.
• Solid intellectual property generation record.
• Broad experience in the following areas in some of the following areas (energy management, battery/solar technologies, electric vehicle power systems, high voltage DC power system, EV charging, active safety controls, ADAS).
• Knowledge of Vehicle to Grid/ Vehicle to Infrastructure and related communication protocols such as J1772, ISO15118 is a plus.