Ajay Koliwad

Embedded Systems Engineering Leader

Summary

I deliver for product engineering teams through expertise, experience and nuanced understanding of technical and human factors. I build, coach, and lead expert teams to design, simplify, and engineer 21st century embedded systems, controllers and ecosystems in the Energy Transition space.

Experience

January 2022 - July 2027

Sr. Engineer : Systems and Architecture

Contributing to simplification and rearchitecture of serial production code operating in >56000 wind turbines. Improving automated software validation. Design review of new controllers.

  • SIMD Vectorization of computationally intensive algorithms
  • Controller feature simplification
  • Automated Test
June 2016 - February 2022

Principal Software Architect

Executed design, implementation and delivery of eLumina HVDC Control platform (Conceptual design through Market release)

  • Directed modernization of HVDC Plant IO system from Profinet to IEC-61850
  • Spearheaded IEC-61850 Digital Substation for HVDC
  • Rearchitected Hot-Standby, and concurrent redundancy for HVDC control and protection units
  • Designed real-time data distribution, concurrency, determinism and task orchestration for HVDC control and protection platform
  • Unified, and extended commercially available IEC-61850 system configuration tool to HVDC projects
  • Extended and adapted IEC-61850 data model for HVDC control, protection, and station HMI
  • Innovated control application model, and data flow for Bipole, and multi-terminal controls
July 2012 - June 2016

Consulting Engineer [GE Controlled Title]

Chaired technical gate reviews for NPI programs. Advised engineering teams in multiple P&Ls on engineering programs

  • Requirements gathering, analysis, definition of done
  • System architecture, tradeoff studies
  • technology maturity and readiness
  • industry best practices
  • Staffing and resource management
  • Product safety
  • Engineering design
  • Quality (QFD, FMEA, Fishbone diagrams, Hypotheses testing etc.)
  • SW quality
  • Rollout of Secure Development Lifecycle
  • Validation, Regulatory compliance, Customer Acceptance
  • Program and product cost optimization, schedule management.
January 2011 - November 2012

System Architect

Drove delivery of a generationally new Smart Meter for a new market segment (EU - Spain) Executed system architecture functions for a new product line in record time (> 24 months) and budget. Orchestrated a technology overhaul for the company product development practices.

  • New line of microcontrollers
  • Use of RTOS
  • New communication method (Power Line Carrier)
  • New communication protocol (DLMS/COSEM)
  • New meter calibration method
  • Over the Air Firmware update
  • Cyber security
  • Regulatory compliance to IEC regime
  • Multistage customer acceptance testing, and mass rollout
July 2007 - January 2011

Senior Engineer/Technologist

Role in a cross P&L function for GE Energy Services. Rapid prototyping and lean product development. Technology harmonization of acqiured product lines. Soft skills: crossfunctional collaboration, influencing

  • Asset Performance Management for Power Transformers
  • Demand Response system
  • Decentralized Distribution Automation (FLISR, VVC)
April 2005 - July 2007

Lead System Architect

Lead architect role for delivering a generationally new Substation Gateway for the GE Harris business.

  • Telecontrol Protocols
  • Realtime substation data appliance
  • Off-shore product development
  • NERC-CIP
February 2002 - April 2005

Lead Engineer

When KVB-Enertec was acquired by GE Power, my group was integrated with the GE-Harris business unit in Calgary.

  • Six Sigma
  • Team Leadership
  • DNP3
  • Requirement Specification

Education

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

December 1992 - December 1994

MS Electric Power Engineering

REC/NIT Silchar

December 1984 - December 1989

Bachelor's Degree Electrical Engineering

Awards

Fellow: Grid Solutions Experts Council

GE Grid Solutions

Engineering Leaders Council Award

GE Grid Solutions

Everyday Excellence Award- Expertise

GE Grid Solutions