Senior R&D Expert in Solid Insulation Materials for Power Transformers

Role Overview

This position requires ownership and leadership in defining requirements, specifications, and qualification processes for solid insulation materials used in power transformers. The expert will guide material selection, supplier qualification, laboratory validations, and oversee the transition to factory applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage comprehensive material requirements, including specifications, testing procedures, acceptance criteria, and change control based on risk assessments.
• Lead efforts in material screening, supplier assessment, prototype testing, and implementation in manufacturing environments.
• Assess compatibility between materials and transformer fluids, along with evaluating moisture effects, aging factors, corrosion resistance, dimensional integrity, and dielectric, thermal, and mechanical characteristics.
• Incorporate material property data into broader design decisions impacting dielectric, thermal, structural integrity, sealing, and corrosion safeguards.
• Drive or assist root-cause evaluations related to insulation failures, partial discharges, leaks, coating issues, corrosion, contamination, and mechanical breakdowns.
• Operate and maintain solid material characterization instrumentation ensuring calibration, safety compliance, proper fixture usage, and accurate documentation.
• Maintain laboratory readiness through qualification of equipment, control of measurement systems, and management of consumables, spares, and supporting services, while ensuring traceability of data.
• Utilize and develop methods for electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, microscopic, and surface property testing tools including DSC, TGA, UTM, salt spray chambers, resistivity testers, tracking/arc resistance setups, DFT analyzers, hardness testers, and conductivity measuring devices.
• Develop and uphold operating procedures, equipment logs, preventative maintenance schedules, safety protocols, training documentation, and laboratory management systems aligned with NABL standards.
• Create and refine technical and production standards, maintain approved material lists and specifications, and provide guidance to factory teams.
• Support intellectual property initiatives through participation in patent evaluations, preparing clearance documents, and identifying IP opportunities and risks within R&D functions.
• Collaborate internationally with teams in research, engineering, quality control, supply chain management, suppliers, academic institutions, and research entities, contributing to scientific publications and knowledge sharing.