Controls Lead

American Supercritical; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Medical premiums covered for employee

Dental & Vision coverage

Life insurance

Long-term disability coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

Job summary

American Supercritical is seeking a Controls Lead to own the complete powertrain control system—from machine loops to supervisory logic and commissioning. You will define the controls architecture, select hardware and software, integrate sensors and actuators, and bring the system from first checkout to stable high-power operation.

The role touches turbomachinery, fluid systems, electric machines, power electronics, and test.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field and 5+ years of controls experience.
• Strong fundamentals in feedback control, dynamic systems, stability, filtering, state machines, fault handling.
• Experience with real-time control software, PLC logic, embedded controls, or equivalent systems.

Responsibilities

• Own the controls architecture for the complete power system including machine and supervisory control, protection, I/O, and operator interfaces.
• Develop startup, shutdown, normal operation, transient, fault-handling, permissive, trip, and interlock logic.
• Design and tune control loops for speed, pressure, temperature, flow, power, inventory, and other coupled variables.
• Select controls hardware and define sensor, actuator, networking, time synchronization, and data-acquisition interfaces.
• Collaborate with turbomachinery, fluid systems, electric machines, power electronics, and test engineers to translate requirements into robust control logic.
• Lead controls commissioning, diagnose unexpected behavior, and establish software development, versioning, test, and release practices.

Skills

Controls theory

Real-time software

PLC programming

Sensor integration

Hardware I/O

Education

Bachelor's degree in Controls/Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace or related

Master's degree in related field

Tools

PLC

Embedded controls

Data acquisition interfaces

Job description

About American Supercritical

American Supercritical is making heat to valuable to waste. We are building a new generation of power plants for a world that desperately needs electrcity. We’re developing supercritical CO2 turbomachinery that can turn today’s gas turbines into dramatically more efficient combined-cycle systems initially for the fast-growing data center market. These same systems can also transform how SMRs, geothermal plants, concentrated solar plants, thermal batteries, and industrial processes convert heat to electricity.

We’re a team of energy, aerospace, and power-generation veterans building real machines to solve hard problems in energy. We’re looking for exceptional engineers who want broad ownership, fast iteration cycles, and the opportunity to help define both the product and the company.

Role Overview

The Controls Lead owns the control system for the complete powertrain, from machine-level loops and protection through supervisory logic, operator interfaces, and commissioning. You will define the controls architecture, choose the hardware and software stack, integrate sensors and actuators, and bring the system from first checkout to stable high-power operation.

This role touches nearly every subsystem: turbomachinery, fluid systems, electric machines, power electronics, bearings, and test. We care less about a particular PLC, real-time platform, or language than your ability to understand the plant, structure the control problem, and deliver robust controls on real hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own the controls architecture for the complete power system, including machine control, supervisory control, protection, I/O, and operator interfaces.

• Develop startup, shutdown, normal-operation, transient, fault-handling, permissive, trip, and interlock logic.

• Design and tune control loops for speed, pressure, temperature, flow, power, inventory, and other tightly coupled variables.

• Select controls hardware and define sensor, actuator, networking, time synchronization, and data-acquisition interfaces.

• Work with turbomachinery, fluid systems, electric machines, power electronics, and test engineers to translate physical requirements into robust control logic.

• Lead controls commissioning, diagnose unexpected system behavior, and establish the software development, versioning, test, and release practices needed as the product matures.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Controls, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 5+ years developing controls for complex physical systems that were commissioned on real hardware.

• Strong fundamentals in feedback control, dynamic systems, stability, filtering, state machines, and fault handling.

• Experience developing and debugging real-time control software, PLC logic, embedded controls, or equivalent systems.

• Hands-on experience integrating sensors, actuators, field I/O, communications, and hardware into a working control system.

• Strong multidisciplinary judgment and a track record of owning ambiguous controls problems from architecture through test.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Controls, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience with model-based controls, system identification, observers, or estimation.

• Experience with active magnetic bearing, power-electronics, or electric-machine controls.

• Experience with safety PLCs, functional safety, machinery protection, or high-energy test systems.

Benefits & Compensation

• Meaningful equity ownership in an early-stage company.

• 100% of employee medical premiums and 80% of dependent medical premiums covered

• 100% employer-paid dental and vision coverage

• Employer-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability coverage

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Unlimited PTO that we actually expect you to take

• 8 weeks of paid parental leave

• Significant ownership of real hardware

• A beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains from the office

Our Commitment

American Supercritical is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Our hiring process is designed to be accessible, fair, and focused on the work that matters most for the role. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring process and employment.