Controls Engineer

Ambitus Research; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ambitus Research seeks engineers to design controllers from plant models and performance requirements, focusing on model-based control for processes, energy systems, and power electronics.

You will work with open-source Python or Julia tools to create realistic controller-design tasks and evaluate AI-generated solutions, providing clear feedback and reproducible results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering or related field.
• 3+ years of industry or applied research experience designing and validating controllers from dynamic plant models.
• Experience with model-based control for processes, energy systems, or power electronics is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Analyze plant models and design controllers meeting regulation and disturbance-rejection under constraints.
• Validate performance via simulation and analysis; identify tradeoffs.
• Create reproducible controller-design tasks with clear grading criteria.
• Review AI-generated solutions and provide actionable feedback.

Skills

Controller design

Model-based control

Simulation & analysis

English writing & documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in engineering

Tools

python-control

SciPy

CasADi

do-mpc

ControlSystems.jl

Job description

About the role

We are working to build the future of AI by pushing the boundaries of what frontier models can achieve. This role focuses on designing controllers from provided plant models and performance requirements, creating realistic control engineering tasks, and evaluating AI-generated solutions. We’re looking for engineers who design model-based controllers for systems such as industrial processes, energy systems, electric drives, or power converters, and are confident in using open-source Python or Julia tools.

Responsibilities

• Analyze plant models and design controllers that meet regulation and disturbance-rejection requirements within operating constraints.
• Validate performance through simulation and analysis, identifying conflicting requirements and necessary tradeoffs.
• Create realistic controller-design tasks with reproducible reference solutions and clear grading criteria.
• Review solutions produced by AI models and other experts, identify technical errors, and provide actionable feedback.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering or a closely related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 3 years of relevant industry or applied research experience designing and validating controllers from dynamic plant models.
• We welcome backgrounds in advanced process control, energy systems, thermal systems, motor drives, and power electronics. Researchers in nonlinear, robust, optimal, or model predictive control are also encouraged to apply.

Required Skills

• Proficiency with open-source tools such as python-control, SciPy, CasADi, do-mpc, or Julia’s ControlSystems.jl. Experience with every package is not required.
• Ability to independently design and validate a controller from a plant model and quantitative performance requirements.
• Practical experience with challenging dynamics such as delays, interacting variables, actuator saturation, nonlinear behavior, flexible modes, or non-minimum-phase behavior.
• Ability to produce reproducible code and explain modeling assumptions, performance limitations, and technical feedback clearly in written English.

Application process

The hiring team reviews resumes and reaches out to shortlisted candidates with next steps.