Controls Engineer

Posted Yesterday
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Torrance, CA, USA
In-Office
120K-140K Annually
Mid level
Aerospace • Industrial • Manufacturing
The Role
Designs and maintains embedded C firmware for motion-control and motor-drive products. Responsibilities include control firmware architecture, algorithm implementation, code reviews, static analysis, testing, hardware bring-up, debugging, validation, documentation, and verification planning. The engineer collaborates with senior staff in an aerospace environment and develops expertise in motor control, control-loop design, embedded systems, and real-time performance.
Summary Generated by Built In

**Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) to meet customer and regulatory requirements**
Who We Are

We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries, and passionate about building next generation technology, let's chat!

We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the industrial, aerospace, and defense sectors into the future. 

A couple other things:

  • We are open to relocating you
  • We have great benefits
  • We are well funded, and generating revenue
  • We are located in beautiful Torrance, CA and just moved into a new large hangar facility

Role Summary: 

We are hiring an entry-level Motion Control Engineer to help build and maintain the embedded firmware that powers our
motion control and motor drive products. This role is built for someone with a strong software/firmware foundation — solid C,
an instinct for clean system architecture — who is eager to grow into motor control and control-loop design in a fast-paced
aerospace environment. You'll work alongside experienced controls and firmware engineers, turning control concepts into
robust, production-quality embedded code.

What you'll do:

  • Design, implement, and maintain embedded firmware for motion control and motor drive products, primarily in C.
  • Contribute to system architecture decisions for control firmware modules, with an eye toward maintainability, testability,
    and real-time performance.
  • Translate control algorithms into well-structured, production-quality firmware, working closely with senior engineering staff.
  • Participate in code reviews, static analysis, and unit/integration testing to uphold firmware quality standards.
  • Support bring-up, debug, and validation of control firmware on hardware in the lab.
  • Document firmware architecture, module interfaces, and design decisions.
  • Assist in specifying and executing firmware verification test plans.

What you need:

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
  • 2-4 years of professional experience in embedded firmware development related to Motion Control.
  • Strong proficiency in C, with a solid grasp of firmware/software architecture principles (modularity, abstraction layers, state
    machines).
  • Familiarity with embedded systems fundamentals: microcontrollers, interrupts, timers, and communication protocols (SPI,
    I2C, UART, CAN).
  • Strong problem-solving skills and a genuine interest in learning control theory and motor control fundamentals on the job.
  • Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaborative software development workflows.

Nice to Haves: 

  • Exposure to motor control concepts (field-oriented control, PWM generation, current/position sensing).
  • Familiarity with motion control loop design and digital filter design (PI/PID tuning, notch/biquad filters, Bode/FRF analysis).
  • Experience with an RTOS (FreeRTOS, ThreadX, or similar).
  • Familiarity with model-based design or code-generation workflows (e.g., Simulink/Embedded Coder).
  • Exposure to unit testing frameworks for embedded C (Unity, CppUTest, or similar).
  • Coursework or project experience in feedback control systems.

Export Control: 

  • This role supports aerospace programs and may involve export-controlled information or hardware. Candidates must be able to
    comply with applicable export control laws and access requirements.

What we have to offer:

We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale.

  • We offer competitive compensation: $120,000 to $140,000 base salary + equity
  • Exceptional healthcare benefits, Medical is 100% covered by the company
  • Flexible PTO 
  • 401K
  • More to come!

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
  • 2-4 years of professional experience in embedded firmware development related to motion control
  • Strong proficiency in C
  • Understanding of firmware and software architecture principles, including modularity, abstraction layers, and state machines
  • Familiarity with embedded systems fundamentals, including microcontrollers, interrupts, timers, and communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN
  • Strong problem-solving skills and interest in learning control theory and motor control fundamentals
  • Experience with version control systems such as Git and collaborative software development workflows
  • U.S. Citizenship or U.S. permanent residency
  • Ability to comply with applicable export control laws and access requirements
  • Exposure to motor control concepts, including field-oriented control, PWM generation, and current or position sensing
  • Familiarity with motion control loop design and digital filter design, including PI/PID tuning, notch or biquad filters, and Bode or FRF analysis
  • Experience with an RTOS such as FreeRTOS or ThreadX
  • Familiarity with model-based design or code-generation workflows such as Simulink or Embedded Coder
  • Exposure to embedded C unit testing frameworks such as Unity or CppUTest
  • Coursework or project experience in feedback control systems
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The Company
Irvine, , CA
11 Employees
Year Founded: 2022

What We Do

Salient Motion’s answer to the national security imperative and present market deficiency is to develop an electric motion operating system. We’re refining our core algorithms as we develop standalone inverters, web-based configuration and analytics platforms, and performant motors made with domestic resources that are accessible to businesses large and small.

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