Worker Type
Regular
Job Description
Summary
AeroVironment’s Directed Energy Systems team is seeking an experienced Controls Engineer to support the development, integration, and fielding of advanced directed energy and precision tracking systems.
The Controls Engineer will design, develop, model, simulate, and test control algorithms for complex electro-mechanical systems requiring high-precision pointing, tracking, stabilization, and real-time performance. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in motion control, guidance and navigation, robotics, signal processing, data analysis, and modeling and simulation.
This position will work within a multidisciplinary engineering organization spanning controls, software, electrical, mechanical, optical, systems, and test engineering to transition advanced technologies from development through production and operational deployment.
Position Responsibilities
Design, develop, analyze, and validate closed-loop control systems for precision pointing, tracking, stabilization, and motion-control applications.
Develop control algorithms for high-performance gimbaled, robotic, and electro-mechanical systems.
Apply classical and modern control techniques including feedback control, state-space methods, filtering, estimation, system identification, and trajectory generation.
Support guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithm development and integration.
Develop models and simulations of dynamic systems to evaluate system performance, control-loop behavior, disturbances, and design trades.
Perform signal processing and sensor-data analysis to characterize system performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Develop algorithms for sensor fusion, state estimation, tracking, filtering, and control.
Analyze large datasets collected during laboratory, field, and flight testing using MATLAB and Python.
Develop automated analysis tools and visualization methods to rapidly evaluate system and subsystem performance.
Perform system identification and develop mathematical models using experimental test data.
Translate system-level performance requirements into control-system requirements and design parameters.
Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), software-in-the-loop (SIL), laboratory, and field testing.
Troubleshoot complex interactions between sensors, actuators, embedded software, communications, and mechanical systems.
Work closely with software engineers to transition algorithms and models into real-time embedded implementations.
Support design reviews, technical reviews, test readiness reviews, and customer demonstrations.
Document control-system architectures, algorithms, models, test results, and performance assessments.
Support integration and field testing of Directed Energy systems at government and customer test locations.
Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Competencies)
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Controls Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
5-10 years of relevant engineering experience in controls, robotics, GNC, autonomous systems, precision motion systems, or similar applications.
Demonstrated experience designing and analyzing closed-loop control systems.
Experience with precision motion control, including servo systems, motors, actuators, encoders, and related feedback devices.
Experience with one or more of the following:
Guidance, navigation, and control
Robotics and autonomous systems
Precision pointing and tracking
Gimbal control and stabilization
State estimation and sensor fusion
Signal processing
System identification
Modeling and simulation
Strong experience using MATLAB for modeling, simulation, algorithm development, and data analysis.
Strong experience using Python for engineering analysis, modeling, automation, and visualization.
Ability to analyze test data, identify system-level performance limitations, and develop engineering solutions.
Strong understanding of…