Jacob Leitert

B.S. Electrical Engineering | Pennsylvania State University

United States

About

I’m a self-motivated fourth-year electrical engineering student with hands-on experience in both academia and industry. My background includes object-oriented programming, digital design, circuit analysis, and circuit design, which I’ve applied through coursework, my internship at Lockheed Martin, and most recently, a power electronics internship at Caterpillar. As the Hardware Project Manager for Nittany Motorsport, I lead efforts to refine and implement innovative electrical systems for our electric formula car. Balancing academic responsibilities with real-world engineering challenges has strengthened my technical foundation and problem-solving abilities. I’m driven by the challenge of building impactful solutions and eager to continue growing in this fast-paced industry.

Experience

  • Nittany Motorsports (On-site)
    • Hardware Project Manager
      Jun 2025 - Jun 2026 · 1 yr 1 mo

    • Low Voltage Battery Management Lead
      Jan 2025 - Jun 2025 · 6 mos

      As Low Voltage BMS Lead, I collaborated on the design of a custom battery management system for our low-voltage battery, integrating the BQ76905 BMS IC, STM32L432KC microcontroller, TPS62932 buck converter, and SN65HVD230 CAN transceiver. The system utilizes low-side charging and passive cell balancing to monitor and control the battery pack. I manually assembled the PCB by using a stencil and reflow oven.

    • Electronics Member
      Oct 2023 - Jan 2025 · 1 yr 4 mos

      As a member of the Nittany Motorsports electric team, I assembled a custom low-voltage battery pack using spot welding and contributed to debugging key systems in our Formula-style race car.

  • Power Electronics at Caterpillar Inc.
    May 2025 - Aug 2025 · 4 mos

    As a Power Electronics Intern at Caterpillar, I tested a new IGBT gate driver board for key protections including overcurrent, overvoltage, low voltage dropout, and desaturation. I developed a universal MATLAB script to analyze and graph over 100 double-pulse test results, reducing manual data processing by 90%. I also conducted a detailed teardown and electrical/mechanical analysis of a competitor inverter, collecting data on breakaway torque, harness design, IGBT modules, and gate driver circuitry. Additionally, I diagnosed a failing interface board by simulating fault conditions and using an oscilloscope to trace the root cause to unexpected PCB capacitance impacting signal feedback timing.

  • Electrical Engineering at Lockheed Martin
    May 2024 - Aug 2024 · 4 mos

    Assisted senior engineers in system-level design, utilizing rotary switches and fiber optics to develop and interpret complex block diagrams. Led a mechanical study on fuse holder materials, identifying failures against MIL-SPEC standards and saving $300 per unit in BOM costs by preventing costly redesigns. Expertly repaired and tested electrical modules, achieving a 100% success rate in final testing. Additionally, researched and sourced replacements for over 50 obsolete components, ensuring compliance with company standards and maintaining project continuity.

  • Sales Associate at Lowe's Companies, Inc.
    Jun 2023 - Aug 2023 · 3 mos

  • Gardening Associate at Lowe's Companies, Inc.
    May 2022 - Aug 2022 · 4 mos