Kristian Whitehouse

Experience

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  Plug Power

  Sept 1999 - Nov 2002

  Test Engineering Technician

  Initially responsible for day-to-day testing of prototype fuel cell stacks. Generated test reports and assisted design engineers in improving their designs. Then became responsible for all sensors (temperature, pressure, gas flow, electrical current, combustible gas safety, etc.) used in company's product portfolio. Wrote sensor functional requirements documents, engaged vendors, tested samples, and troubleshot field failures. Later became in-house expert on battery storage systems. Built fully automated battery test fixture for use in evaluating various battery chemistries and suppliers. In final months with company, shifted into a system modeling role where statistical analyses were performed to aid in competitive assessments and system/module sizing activities. Show less

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  Delphi

  Nov 2002 - Sept 2004

  Controls System Engineer (Contract Position)

  Member of team responsible for generating control models in Matlab Simulink for Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit that included reactant fluid regulation, hybridization controls, and application interface. Built physical plant model for SOFC APU and integrated with control model for Model in-the-Loop (MIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing. Conceived novel method for switching from preferential oxidation to auto-thermal reforming using anode recycle and verified via Monte Carlo analysis that method achieved acceptable control of oxygen-to-carbon ratio. Show less

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  General Motors

  Sept 2004 - Aug 2009

  Leader of test engineering team developing GM’s next generation fuel cell module for integration into E-Flex powertrain. Coordinated module testing activities ensuring adherence to specified technology delivery plans. Managed component level verification/validation testing to support balance of plant design engineering activities. Lead development engineer on collaborative effort between GM/Opel and Suzuki for SX4 FCV. Led testing, calibration, and vehicle integration activities of fuel cell power module at engine, powertrain, and vehicle levels. Provided on-site support at Suzuki's headquarters and test track facilities in Japan. Invented strategies for starting up and operating a fuel cell power module in parallel with an ultra capacitor bank. Architected modular test stand control software that communized testing of fuel cell power modules between GM and Opel while integrating vehicle control software to improve testing fidelity. Developed control models for operating research-oriented fuel cell modules using Matlab Simulink and dSPACE ControlDesk. Tested “Mini Modules” in an effort to prove out operating methods that allowed for increased performance, durability, and efficiency.

  • Advanced Engineering Test Lead (Contract Position)

    Jan 2009 - Aug 2009

  • Module Development Engineer (Contract Position)

    Sept 2006 - Dec 2008

  • Module Controls and Test Engineer (Contract Position)

    Sept 2004 - Aug 2006
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  U.S. Department of Energy

  Oct 2009 - Jul 2011

  Senior Project Engineer (Contract Position)

  Performed project monitoring for projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Program. Worked with DOE team to identify technology gaps, develop funding opportunities, process solicited applications, and negotiate financial assistance awards with selected recipients. Performed a leadership role within the organization for data management, process development, and employee training.

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  Nuvera Fuel Cells

  Jul 2011 - Apr 2015

  Lead System Engineer

  Responsible for system engineering activities associated with the Orion™ fuel cell module including requirements generation, plant/controls modeling, component selection, FMEA, and module testing. Supported projects in the automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial mobility sectors.

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  George Tabor Commercial Divers

  Jan 2016 - Mar 2016

  Commercial Diver

  Georgia Port Authority Mayor's Point Terminal - Brunswick, GA.Project involved cleaning piles with hydraulic barnacle buster, setting up clamps and jacket support platforms, installing rebar cages around piles, positioning pile jackets and screwing seams, installing wooden support braces, pumping pile jackets with concrete, and removal of all wooden pieces after concrete set. Also performed duties of tender and standby diver based on diver rotation.

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  Seamar Divers International, LLC.

  Mar 2016 - Aug 2016

  Commercial Diver

  South District Wastewater Treatment Plant - Homestead, FLPerformed several eddy current inspections of holding tank liners. Calibrated equipment, probed tank liners for leaks, and marked identified leak locations. Performed follow-up dives to inspect liner patches for proper leak mitigation.Port Everglades - Miami, FLPerformed salvage dives to find and recover large objects (tire, docking bumper, etc.) that had fallen in the water. Performed line sweeps to locate object, marked location with a buoy for crane operator, rigged crane cable to object, and monitored lift operation from sea floor.Miami Beach, FLPerformed repairs to trash racks located in city storm drainage system. Removed racks and damaged support structure, installed mounting plates using concrete anchors, fabricated new steel supports and welded onto mounting plates, and re-installed trash racks.Alexander Orr Water Treatment Plant - Miami, FLCleaned isolation gate tracks for sedimentation basin using cavi-blaster and hand scraper, ensured proper installation of gates and plugged leaks as needed, used hydraulic cement to repair concrete spall around gate tracks.Boot Key Harbour - Marathon, FLCleaned and inspected mooring buoys. Used cavi-blaster and hand tools as needed. Show less

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  Stantec Consulting Services Inc.

  Feb 2017 - Sept 2017

  Commercial Diver

  Commercial diver primarily supporting underwater bridge inspections. Performed duties of diver and tender on dive operations. Responsible for maintaining equipment and loading out dive truck/boat with necessary gear for trip planned operations. Performed inspections per FHWA guidelines on road and railway bridges all across the contiguous United States.

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  Verde LLC (Boston)

  Oct 2017 - Aug 2018

  Senior Engineer - Fuel Cell Systems

  Lead managing and technical engineer responsible for building Verde LLC's new hydrogen fuel cell system division. Specified requirements for fuel cell testing lab and worked with architect and local fire marshal to ensure lab will meet all applicable codes and standards. Developed project plan to design, build, test, and demonstrate a new fuel cell system in an automotive application within an aggressive one year timeline. Directing efforts of assigned resources to stay on schedule and execute project plan. Providing technical leadership to junior engineers and sharing wealth of fuel cell system experience. Show less

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  Largo Clean Energy

  Aug 2018 - Feb 2023

  Director, Field Operations

  Responsible for project management and construction oversight for new installations of Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Systems (VRFB) at sites all over the world. Established maintenance and service plans for VRFB systems and managed the personnel and equipment resources necessary to execute plans to achieve high level of product availability for Largo Clean Energy's customers. Implemented a computerized maintenance management system to provide asset lifecycle tracking and collect data for failure mode tracking and corrective action implementation. Coordinated with engineering team to implement change orders in fielded systems and provide feedback to improve designs with respect to reliability, manufacturability, and serviceability. Show less

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  Our Next Energy (ONE)

  Feb 2023 - now

  Director of Grid Project Deployments

  Lead multi-functional teams responsible for project management, installation, commissioning, field service, and data analytics associated with Our Next Energy's grid level battery energy storage system...Aries Grid. Work closely with business development team to define project scope, establish roles and responsibilities, and create initial project schedule during contracting phase of project. Upon project execution, my team takes responsibility for the project and works with engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, logistics, quality, and EHS teams to ensure project is executed safely, on-time, and on-budget. After system commissioning, my team provides asset management and field services under a long-terms service agreement. This includes data analytics and reporting functions through a remote monitoring center. Show less