(80 – 100%) Lead System Architect - Excitation Systems

Location: Untersiggenthal, Aargau, Switzerland

At ABB, we help industries run leaner and cleaner—and every person here makes that happen. You’ll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world.

This position reports to

R&D Team Lead

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In this role, you will have the opportunity to shape the architecture, compliance strategy and system validation of ABB excitation systems. You will act as a key technical authority for UNITROL 8000 and connect product and system requirements with architecture, development, verification, lifecycle and customer application needs. You will also provide technical leadership for major product-platform initiatives and complex product issues.

This role is contributing to the Excitation Systems R&D organization in Switzerland. Main stakeholders are Product Management, System Engineering, Hardware and Software Development, Verification and Validation, Lifecycle Management, Operations, Service, global engineering centers, external test laboratories and certification bodies.

The work model for the role is: #LI-Hybrid

You will be mainly accountable for

Defining and maintaining product and system requirements, UNITROL 8000 system architecture, functional boundaries, interfaces and technical specifications.

Owning system compliance and validation strategies, including the definition, coordination and evaluation of system and component type tests in internal and external laboratories.

Leading cross-functional technical activities across development, system integration, validation and lifecycle, including technical program or project leadership for major platform initiatives.

Acting as a Level 4 technical expert for complex product, customer and field issues and converting lessons learned into requirements, architecture decisions and reusable engineering guidance.

Qualifications for the role

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, Energy Systems, Power Systems Engineering, or related discipline.
• Extensive experience with excitation systems, including system architecture, application engineering, commissioning, and technical leadership of complex industrial power-electronic products.
• Strong knowledge of thyristor and IGBT converter systems, including system integration, protection, electrical safety, thermal behavior, and grid compliance.
• Hands-on experience in verification and validation, system and type testing, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis in power laboratories and at customer sites.
• Good understanding of relevant international standards and qualification requirements, including EMC, insulation, partial discharge, temperature-rise testing, IEC 62477 safety requirements, and arc-safety aspects.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary technical projects and collaborate across global teams, combined with a strong understanding of customer applications, market needs, and industry trends.
• Experience with power-system simulation and engineering tools (e.g., DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PSCAD, MATLAB Simulink, or PLECS) is considered an advantage.
• Building a cleaner, smarter future takes all kinds of minds: the curious, the courageous, and the creative. That's why we welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences.
• Ready to make an impact?
• Apply today or visit https://www.abb.com to learn more about the impact of our solutions across the globe.