Senior Control Engineer – Stratospheric Unmanned Electric Aircraft, Fixed Wing
ICEYE
full-time
Posted on:
Location: 🇪🇸 Spain
Visit company websiteJob Level
Senior
Tech Stack
Python
About the role
- Design, implement, and maintain custom autopilot systems and control logic for a stratospheric unmanned electric aircraft
- Manage complex transitions from takeoff, separation from a launch carrier, ascent to stratosphere, normal operations, and landing
- Balance aeroelastics, adverse weather, structural needs, and mission requirements
- Design and implement advanced control algorithms for flight control, navigation, and guidance systems
- Develop and optimize state estimation algorithms for robust performance in various flight conditions
- Integrate sensors and actuators into the control architecture, ensuring seamless data flow and command execution
- Develop and/or improve hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) and software-in-the-loop (SITL) simulation systems for verification and validation
- Discover and understand airworthiness requirements related to control system safety and reliability
- Develop rigorous verification procedures for control system performance and stability
- Participate in flight test campaigns and in-flight data analysis to fine-tune and troubleshoot control systems
- Collaborate across the team (structures, avionics, operations) and contribute to mission management and guidance
Requirements
- 5+ years of relevant work experience in control system design and implementation
- Strong theoretical background in classical and modern control theory
- Experience in building simulations, physics models and complex test cases to develop against
- Proficiency in programming languages commonly used for control systems (e.g., C, C++, Python)
- Expertise in developing embedded software for real-time control applications
- Degree in Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or similar with a focus on control systems (preferred)
- Experience with UAV-related control software and platforms (e.g., commercial autopilots, ArduPilot, PX4, terrestrial or marine robots) (preferred)
- Familiarity with state estimation techniques (preferred)
- Experience with robust control methods for dealing with uncertainties and disturbances (preferred)
- Knowledge of flight dynamics and aerodynamics for fixed-wing or high-altitude aircraft (preferred)
- Hardware debugging experience, including familiarity with tools such as the oscilloscope, logic analyzer, and protocol analyzer (SPI, CAN, Ethernet, or similar) (preferred)
- Experience in developing control systems for stratospheric or long-endurance aircraft (preferred)
- A proactive, can-do attitude and love for aerospace (preferred)
- Passion for solving complex problems in a team environment (preferred)
- Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)