Trending Job Roles Available for Electrical Engineers in The EV Industry

The future of the automotive industry will be driven by electric vehicles. Due to their increasing demand and rapid advancements, many OEMs are stepping into the EV domain. The EV industry is growing at 23.1%, much faster than many other industries. As per industry records, hiring for new employees in the electric vehicle industry has spiked to 108%. The EV industry in India is growing at 168% and is expected to create one crore direct jobs and five crore indirect jobs by 2030.

BYD, Tesla, Nissan, Volkswagen, Ford, and Kia are among the top OEMs that sell EVs. Much research is still being carried out to improve the battery's efficiency and enhance its features. New technologies like AI and IoT are paving their way into the e-mobility domain to provide a better user experience. There are many opportunities for engineers to bring innovation by integrating the latest technology. Here are some common EV jobs available for electrical engineers in the EV industry.

1. PCB Designing

What is PCB?

You must be aware of the motherboard that forms the core component of all electronic devices. A motherboard controls all the operations executed by the device. The motherboard is nothing but a PCB board. PCB or Printed Circuit Board is made of a non-conductive material that binds all underlying copper strands.

The primary advantage of using a PCB for any circuit is space-saving. It takes less time to fabricate a PCB than a wired connection and remains intact for years.

Roles and Responsibilities of PCB Design Engineer

All electric vehicle deploys complex circuit connections, which are made simple using PCBs. For the control of sensors, the entertainment system, charging unit, powertrain and all units of an Electric Vehicle is controlled by PCB. The PCB design engineer is responsible for,

• Understanding the design and functional requirements of the specific unit.
• Specifying and documenting the voltage levels, diodes, thyristors, resistors and capacitors used in the circuit.
• Supervising the layout process of PCB manufacturing.
• Developing new PCB designs adhering to industry standards.
• Testing and validating the circuit boards.

Altium Designer, Proteus, KiCad and XCircuit are some popular tools used to design PCBs.

2. Embedded Systems

What is an Embedded System?

An embedded system integrates hardware and software designed to execute a specific function. The application may have a user interface displaying inputs and outputs. They are highly reliable, efficient and can be easily mass-produced. The adaptive cruise control, airbag, emission control system and anti-lock braking system are some embedded systems deployed in automobiles.

Roles and Responsibilities of Embedded System Engineer

• To design and develop robust automotive embedded systems.
• To monitor and maintain the embedded system.
• Test, verify and debug the embedded firmware systems.
• Collaborate with different teams to understand the functional requirements.
• Write codes for embedded software and validate them.
• To optimize the I/O of the system and enhance its performance.

3. Battery Management System

What is a Battery Management System?

A BMS or Battery Management System is an intelligent backup system to ensure the smooth and safe functioning of the battery. It ensures a battery is not overcharged and regulates the temperature to avoid thermal runaway. Thus, it maintains the battery's SOC (State of Charge) and SOH (State of Health).

Roles and Responsibilities of Battery Management Systems Engineer

• To design battery cells, modules & pack and optimise their characteristics.
• Design and select various components of BMS, sensors and circuit board.
• To conduct the analytical, numerical and empirical assessments for the battery packs.
• To develop BMS firmware algorithms and integrate electronic hardware into battery packs.
• Closely work with other teams and understand the power requirements.

4. Powertrain System

What is a Powertrain?

A powertrain system is an assembly of components that coordinates with the engine and vehicle. It transfers the power from the engine to the axle of a car and sets it in motion. A powertrain system includes an engine, transmission, differential and axles. In an electric vehicle, an e-Powertrain system is deployed in which a motor replaces the engine. Based on the type of EV, the motor is powered by a battery, a fuel cell, or a generator coupled with the engine.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Powertrain Engineer

• Selection of components based on the functional requirements and load conditions.
• Develop an electric powertrain system and evaluate its performance.
• Tracking the performance of the powertrain throughout the lifecycle of the component.
• To develop a system-level design of machine control systems and analyse, troubleshoot and calibrate.
• Designing and documenting the system architecture.
• Work closely with chassis, engine, software engineers and other teams for successful integration.

Equipping yourself with the right skillset will make you eligible for the job. A PG Program in Electric Vehicle Design and Development offered by Skill-Lync will teach you different software like MATLAB, Simulink, SocketCAN, LINUX, C++, ANSYS Maxwell, Altium Designer and LTspice. Industries use these tools for designing and analysing different subsystems of EVs.

To step into an electric vehicle job, you can learn How does an Electric Vehicle work? for free. It will take you through motor controllers, transmission, and battery management systems.

Book a free demo or unlock the free course to kick-start your career in the electric vehicle industry.