As Lead Controls Engineer, you will own the control systems architecture, guide algorithm development (attitude, trajectory, and mission-level control), and lead a team of controls engineers. This role combines technical depth in flight dynamics and control theory with leadership responsibilities, including mentoring, roadmap development, and cross-team collaboration with firmware, autonomy, and systems integration teams.
- Control System Design & Development
Architect, implement, and optimize control systems for attitude, altitude, velocity, and trajectory tracking.
Develop both low-level controllers (motor commands, stabilization) and high-level controllers (trajectory following, waypoint tracking).
Model and analyze UAV dynamics under variable payloads and flight conditions.
Explore and implement advanced control methods (e.g., LQR, MPC, adaptive control, fault-tolerant control).
- Continuous Improvement & Research
Stay updated with the state of the art in control systems, UAV dynamics, and adaptive/autonomous control methods.
Drive innovation by evaluating new algorithms (e.g., AI/ML-enhanced control strategies).
Ensure documentation, safety standards, and compliance with UAV regulatory requirements.
- Simulation, Testing & Tuning
Lead the use of simulation environments (MATLAB/Simulink, Gazebo, AirSim, SITL/HIL) for validation.
Define test cases and metrics for control performance, robustness, and safety.
Oversee parameter tuning and log analysis during lab and field flight testing.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with:
Firmware engineers to ensure low-level control implementation on embedded hardware.
Autonomy engineers to connect planners with trajectory controllers.
Perception & sensor fusion teams to leverage accurate state estimation for stable control.
Flight test team to validate and iterate in real-world conditions.
Requirements
Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Controls, Robotics, or related field.
6–10 years of experience in control systems for robotics or UAVs.
Strong expertise in:
Classical control (PID, cascaded loops).
Modern control (LQR, MPC, nonlinear/adaptive control).
State estimation and dynamics modeling.
Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C++, and Python.
Hands-on experience with PX4, ArduPilot, or custom autopilot stacks.
Proven experience with real-world tuning and analyzing UAV flight logs.
Experience leading small teams or projects.
Familiarity with fault-tolerant and redundant control architectures.
Knowledge of certifiable RTOS environments (SafeRTOS, INTEGRITY).
Hands-on flight testing of UAVs (quadrotors, VTOLs, fixed-wing).
Contributions to control-related research, publications, or open-source projects.
Benefits
Technical leadership role at the heart of Unmannd’s flight systems.
Direct impact on real-world UAV performance and reliability.
Access to real hardware platforms, flight ranges, and simulations.
Collaborative startup culture with opportunities to grow into Head of Controls / Autonomy.
Competitive salary and equity options.
Skills Required
- Master's or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Controls, Robotics, or related field
- 6 - 10 years of experience in control systems for robotics or UAVs
- Strong expertise in classical and modern control techniques
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C++, and Python
What We Do
Unmannd is a defense technology startup that designs and manufactures autonomous drones for logistics, counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), and aerial security applications.
