Sr. Robotics Software Engineer, Controls

You will own the precision motion stack for a directed energy system, including architecture and tuning of precision pointing and tracking control loops, state estimation, and closed-loop integration with the tracker. This is a senior IC role requiring hands-on work with real hardware, from system identification and actuator tuning to field characterization against real targets. You will also build simulation and hardware-in-the-loop test infrastructure and author controls documentation.

Responsibilities

• Architecture and tuning of the precision pointing and tracking control loops
• Closed loop tracking from sensor input through actuator command at hundreds of Hz
• State estimation across IMU, encoder, and vision based feedback (Kalman filters, complementary filters, sensor fusion)
• System identification and modeling of the gimbal, mount, and actuator dynamics
• Actuator tuning, gain scheduling, and compensation for nonlinearities (backlash, friction, saturation)
• Resonance characterization, notch filtering, and structural compensation
• Simulation infrastructure for controls development
• Hardware-in-the-loop test infrastructure for controls validation
• Field characterization of the system against real targets at the range
• Author controls documentation and tuning standards

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in robotics
• Strong knowledge of fundamentals: classical controls, state space, LQR, MPC
• Proven simulation experience and a track record of managing the sim-to-real gap on actual hardware
• Modern C++ for real time control implementation
• Python or MATLAB/Simulink for modeling, system ID, and analysis
• State estimation in practice (Kalman, EKF, UKF, complementary filters)
• System identification and frequency domain tuning
• Direct experience with motion control hardware — servo drives, brushless motors, encoders, IMUs
• Comfortable working at the seam between mechanical, electrical, and software
• Understanding of latency, jitter, and how they kill control loop performance

Nice to have

• Advanced MPC — nonlinear MPC, robust MPC, or real-time NMPC on resource constrained hardware
• Gimbal, beam director, or precision pointing system experience
• Aerospace, defense, or directed energy controls background
• Adaptive or robust control implementation in production
• Vision-in-the-loop control (visual servoing, image-based tracking)
• Hardware-in-the-loop simulation experience
• High bandwidth sensor pipelines (cameras, radar, IMUs at high rate)
• Prior work on a system that had to hit a moving target

Benefits

• Competitive salary + equity
• United Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible 18 days PTO + 5 sick days
• Travel to field test events and range days
• Covered daily lunches and office snacks + drinks
• E-bike / scooter stipend (up to $500)
• Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your work