What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Controls Engineer position at Firestorm?
Senior Controls Engineer
Location: onsite in San Diego, CA
Travel: as needed to support flight testing and demoing of your projects, travel expenses covered, (expected is about 1 week per month)
Firestorm as a company grew out of the simple question: how does a US ally country with a respectively low defense budget deter an aggressor state entity with a vastly larger war chest? We’re building the very answer to that question, something we call “democratized deterrence.” Firestorm is a VC-backed, defense-meets-Silicon Valley technology company developing mission-adaptable aerial vehicles to put the power back into the hands of the operator. We aim to upend the current defense procurement cost paradigm by bringing world-class capabilities to bear at meaningfully lower costs.
We are seeking an experienced Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GNC) Engineer with a passion for innovation to join our fast-growing team. You will be responsible for designing and developing flight controls for our Unmanned Autonomous Systems.
What You’ll Be Doing:
Design, implement, simulate, and fly estimation and controls algorithms
Model dynamical systems
Be engaged across multiple projects and involved in simulation development, system analysis, GNC requirements and software development, integration, operational concept development
Review test data captured from flight testing to verify vehicle performance, evaluate GNC algorithm/controller behavior, or debug incidents during testing
Work with the flight testing team to validate changes to autopilot software
Integrate GPS-denied navigation solutions into different flying platforms
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in a STEM field plus hands-on project/experience with robotics/controls/dynamics, or Ph.D. in a STEM field
Familiarity with C , python, and Matlab/Octave
Excellent communication and documentation skills
“US Person” status required (US Citizen, US permanent resident)
Preferred Qualifications:
3 years of experience in applied controls
Experience with alternative navigation solutions (i.e. GPS-denied navigation solutions)
Experience developing or tuning estimators
Product development experience in a flying platform that uses the PX4 or Arduplane codebases
Experience working in a team that follows agile software development methods
High proficiency in C /C/python/Matlab/Octave
Experience flying RC fixed-wing planes
What makes you a good fit:
Knowledge of modern and classical control design methods
Experience with system identification and test-based control design
Experience documenting and communicating technical analysis for a technical audience outside your field
Self-motivated and mission-driven
Comfortable with the design review process, and with both providing and receiving feedback
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our culture at Firestorm fosters collaboration, respect, and trust to empower passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth.
Salary range: 125k - 175k
To apply, please send your resume to us at careers@launchfirestorm.com
