Electrical Control Systems Engineer

Horstman Inc; Sterling Heights (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Horstman Inc. seeks an Entry Level Control Systems Engineer to support design, development, and testing of control systems for regulated U.S. defense programs. You will work with a cross-functional team to deliver reliable and compliant control solutions.

Ideal candidates have a bachelor's in electrical/controls/mechatronics and up to 2 years of experience with embedded control systems. Travel to customer sites and military proving grounds may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
• 0–2 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Experience with embedded control systems or defense-related projects is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing and implementing control algorithms and system-level control functions.
• Support development of embedded control architectures, including processors, I/O, diagnostics, and communication networks (CAN, J1939, Ethernet).
• Contribute to creating and maintaining engineering documentation such as requirements, design descriptions, and test results.
• Participate in system modeling, analysis, and verification activities.
• Follow established engineering processes, tools, and configuration management practices.
• Occasional travel required for installation and testing support at customer facilities and US military proving grounds.

Skills

Control systems

Real-time embedded software

Systems engineering

Teamwork

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Control Systems Engineering

Mechatronics

Tools

CAD (Solidworks/ Creo)

Job description

Control Systems Engineer - Entry Level

Department: 400
Reports To: VP Engineering
FLSA: Exempt
Prepared By: Human Resources

The Control Systems Engineer supports the design, development, and testing of control systems used in regulated U.S. defense programs. This role works as part of a cross-functional engineering team to help deliver reliable and compliant control solutions.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Responsibilities

• Assist in designing and implementing control algorithms and system-level control functions.
• Support development of embedded control architectures, including processors, I/O, diagnostics, and communication networks (CAN, J1939, Ethernet).
• Contribute to creating and maintaining engineering documentation such as requirements, design descriptions, and test results.
• Participate in system modeling, analysis, and verification activities.
• Follow established engineering processes, tools, and configuration management practices.

Compliance & Safety

• Support compliance with U.S. Department of Defense requirements, MIL STD practices, and export control regulations (ITAR/EAR).
• Assist with system safety tasks, hazard reviews, and documentation.
• Follow company health, safety, and regulatory procedures.

Program Support

• Contribute to meeting project schedules, deliverables, and engineering milestones.
• Support coordination with internal teams, customers, and suppliers as needed for technical discussions.
• Assist in tracking technical risks, action items, and project status updates.
• Help prepare documentation and input for design reviews and project reporting.
• Follow program processes for handling controlled technical information and configuration-managed data.
• Occasional travel required for installation and testing support at customer facilities and US military proving grounds.

Core Competencies

• Knowledge of control systems, real-time embedded software, and related engineering principles.
• Ability to work within defense-compliant engineering processes and documentation requirements.
• Understanding systems engineering concepts such as requirements, verification, and configuration control.
• Strong teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Education & Experience

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• CAD (Solidworks and/or Creo) design experience a plus.
• Experience Level - Entry: Typically, 0-2 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Prior exposure to embedded control systems or defense-related projects is beneficial.