Control Systems Engineer (m/f/d)

Halian; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Halian in the United Arab Emirates seeks an experienced Controls Systems Engineer to design, develop, and deploy real-time, time-critical control systems for precision motion and tracking applications. The role focuses on creating robust control architectures with high performance, reliability, and deterministic behaviour in demanding environments.

You will lead development of deterministic control software on embedded platforms, ensure safety-critical operation with redundancy and fault

Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ development for embedded and real-time systems.
• Advanced knowledge of classical and modern control theory (PID, state-space, identification).
• Proven experience designing real-time control systems with deterministic execution, latency control, and timing analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize closed-loop control algorithms (PID, state-space, MPC).
• Develop stabilization systems to compensate for vibrations and disturbances.
• Create real-time tracking and positioning control loops with minimal latency.
• Define data interfaces between sensing, estimation, and control subsystems with synchronization and fault handling.
• Model, simulate, and validate dynamic system behaviour and control-loop stability.
• Design and implement deterministic real-time control software on embedded platforms or RTOS.

Skills

C/C++ development

Embedded systems

Real-time systems

Safety-critical systems

RTOS familiarity

Control theory

PID control

State-space modelling

System identification

Data interfaces

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechatronics, Electrical, Aerospace, Robotics, Control Engineering

Tools

Version control

Build systems

Automated testing

Debugging environments

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Controls Systems Engineer with deep expertise in the design, development, and deployment of real-time, time-critical, and safety-critical control systems. This role is responsible for creating advanced closed-loop control solutions for precision motion and tracking applications, including stabilization, target tracking, actuator control, and real-time system integration. The successful candidate will lead the development of robust control architectures that deliver high performance, reliability, and deterministic behaviour in demanding operating environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize closed-loop control algorithms, including PID, state-space, and advanced control methods such as LQR and Model Predictive Control (MPC).
• Develop stabilization systems that compensate for vibration, motion disturbances, environmental influences, and other dynamic operating conditions.
• Create and maintain real-time tracking and positioning control loops, converting sensor-derived state information into precise actuator commands with minimal latency and overshoot.
• Define data interfaces between sensing, estimation, and control subsystems, ensuring accurate synchronization, coordinate transformation, data integrity, and fault handling.
• Model, simulate, and validate dynamic system behaviour, actuator performance, and control-loop stability prior to deployment.
• Design and implement deterministic real-time control software on embedded platforms, RTOS environments, or bare-metal hardware.
• Establish and manage timing budgets across sensing, computation, communication, and actuation functions to meet strict performance requirements.
• Apply safety-critical engineering principles, including redundancy, watchdog mechanisms, fault detection, protective limits, graceful degradation, and fail-safe operation.
• Support system integration, calibration, commissioning, and performance validation activities.
• Develop fault-management strategies and fallback operating modes for sensor failures, communication interruptions, loss of feedback, or actuator malfunctions.
• Perform control-system verification through simulation, laboratory testing, field validation, and performance analysis.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation covering system architecture, control strategies, tuning methodologies, performance metrics, timing analysis, and validation results.

Requirements

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ development for embedded and real-time systems, with extensive hands‑on software engineering experience.
• Advanced knowledge of classical and modern control theory, including PID control, state‑space modelling, system identification, and frequency-domain analysis.
• Proven experience designing and implementing real-time control systems with deterministic execution, latency control, jitter management, and timing analysis.
• Demonstrated expertise in safety-critical system development, including fault tolerance, redundancy strategies, watchdog implementation, and protection mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of motion-control systems, servo drives, actuators, sensors, feedback systems, and control-loop integration.
• Experience with software development tools and methodologies, including version control, build systems, automated testing, and debugging environments.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, QNX, FreeRTOS, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a structured engineering approach.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary engineering stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly.
• Prior experience delivering real-time control solutions from concept through deployment is highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Control Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in closed-loop, real-time, and safety-critical control system design and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience with motion-control systems, stabilization platforms, precision pointing mechanisms, robotics, automation systems, or other advanced control applications.
• Strong understanding of control-system architectures, embedded computing platforms, real-time communications, and system-level integration.