Fuel Cell Engineers

Key Responsibilities

• Authorize release of fuel cell parts, components, or subsystems for production.
• Plan or implement fuel cell cost reduction or product improvement projects in collaboration with other engineers, suppliers, support personnel, or customers.
• Characterize component or fuel cell performances by generating operating maps, defining operating conditions, identifying design refinements, or executing durability assessments.
• Integrate electric drive subsystems with other vehicle systems to optimize performance or mitigate faults.
• Define specifications for fuel cell materials.
• Conduct fuel cell testing projects, using fuel cell test stations, analytical instruments, or electrochemical diagnostics, such as cyclic voltammetry or impedance spectroscopy.
• Conduct post-service or failure analyses, using electromechanical diagnostic principles or procedures.
• Design fuel cell systems, subsystems, stacks, assemblies, or components, such as electric traction motors or power electronics.
• Manage fuel cell battery hybrid system architecture, including sizing of components, such as fuel cells, energy storage units, or electric drives.
• Calculate the efficiency or power output of a fuel cell system or process.
• Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new technology or competitive products.
• Fabricate prototypes of fuel cell components, assemblies, stacks, or systems.
• Analyze fuel cell or related test data, using statistical software.
• Develop fuel cell materials or fuel cell test equipment.
• Validate design of fuel cells, fuel cell components, or fuel cell systems.
• Identify or define vehicle and system integration challenges for fuel cell vehicles.
• Simulate or model fuel cell, motor, or other system information, using simulation software programs.
• Develop or evaluate systems or methods of hydrogen storage for fuel cell applications.
• Plan or conduct experiments to validate new materials, optimize startup protocols, reduce conditioning time, or examine contaminant tolerance.
• Recommend or implement changes to fuel cell system designs.
• Provide technical consultation or direction related to the development or production of fuel cell systems.
• Design or implement fuel cell testing or development programs.
• Evaluate the power output, system cost, or environmental impact of new hydrogen or non-hydrogen fuel cell system designs.
• Prepare test stations, instrumentation, or data acquisition systems for use in specific tests of fuel cell components or systems.
• Coordinate fuel cell engineering or test schedules with departments outside engineering, such as manufacturing.
• Write technical reports or proposals related to engineering projects.