Mechanisms Engineer (III or Senior), Motor Control

Menlo Ventures; Laguna Beach (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401K

Parental Leave

Paid holidays

Job summary

True Anomaly seeks a mid‑career or senior Motor Control Engineer to own drive electronics hardware and firmware for precision actuation on orbital platforms.

You will design motor drive circuits, implement closed‑loop control algorithms, and ensure performance under thermal, radiation, and reliability constraints. Onsite in Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred).
• 5+ years in motor control design with drive electronics and embedded firmware.
• Experience with brushless DC and/or stepper motor drive circuits and current sensing.
• Proficiency in embedded C/C++ for real‑time motor control.
• Experience with SPI, I2C, UART, CAN interfaces and hardware bring‑up.

Responsibilities

• Design motor drive electronics for brushless and stepper systems, including gate drivers and EMI mitigation.
• Develop embedded firmware for closed‑loop motor control (FOC/BLDC, PID).
• Characterize motor/drive systems (torque-speed, efficiency, thermal).
• Collaborate with GNC for closed‑loop pointing and tracking control.
• Lead hardware bring‑up, integration, and qualification testing.
• Support integration with spacecraft avionics and flight software.
• Create design docs: schematics, firmware architecture, test plans, reports.
• Assist in component selection, trade studies, and design reviews.
• Mentor junior engineers and improve mechanisms engineering processes.

Skills

Motor control systems

Embedded firmware

Firmware C/C++

Gate drivers

Closed‑loop control

Thermal/radiation analysis

Lab testing

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

SPI/I2C/UART/CAN

Embedded platforms (STM32, TI C2000)

Job description

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.

OUR MISSION

True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.

OUR VALUES

• Be the offset.We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
• It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

YOUR MISSION

True Anomaly is seeking a talented and experienced Motor Control Engineer at the Mid-career or Senior level to join our Mechanisms team, reporting to the Mechanisms Engineering Manager. In this role, you will own both the drive electronics hardware and the embedded firmware for precision motor-driven actuation systems on our orbital platforms. You will design and develop custom motor drive circuits, closed-loop servo control algorithms, and the embedded software that ties them together — delivering vertically integrated solutions built for the demanding thermal, radiation, and reliability requirements of spaceflight. You bring equal depth in hardware and firmware, thrive in a hands‑on environment, and take pride in seeing your work perform on‑orbit.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and develop motor drive electronics for brushless DC and stepper motor systems, including gate driver circuits, current sensing, power stage design, and EMI mitigation
• Develop and implement embedded firmware for closed‑loop motor control, including FOC/BLDC commutation algorithms, PID and advanced control loops, and fault detection and handling
• Perform motor and drive system characterization, including torque‑speed profiling, efficiency mapping, and thermal analysis
• Collaborate closely with the GNC team to develop and validate closed‑loop pointing, stabilization, and tracking control for precision actuation applications
• Define and execute motor drive hardware bring‑up, integration, and qualification test campaigns
• Support system‑level integration of motor control electronics and firmware with spacecraft avionics and flight software
• Develop and maintain design documentation including schematics, firmware architecture, test plans, and analysis reports
• Contribute to component selection, trade studies, and design reviews across the mechanisms product portfolio
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of mechanisms engineering processes and practices

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred)
• 5+ years of professional experience in motor control system design, with demonstrated depth in both drive electronics hardware and embedded firmware
• Experience with brushless DC and/or stepper motor drive circuit design, including power stage, gate driver, and current sensing topologies
• Experience implementing closed‑loop motor control algorithms including FOC, BLDC commutation, and PID‑based servo control in embedded firmware
• Proficiency in embedded C or C++ for real‑time motor control applications
• Familiarity with common embedded communication interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN) and their application in motor drive systems
• Experience with hardware bring‑up, debug, and characterization using lab test equipment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience with space‑qualified or high‑reliability motor drive electronics for vacuum and radiation environments
• Familiarity with precision pointing or tracking system requirements and GNC interface design
• Experience with motor control using DSPs, FPGAs, or microcontrollers (STM32, TI C2000, or similar)
• Knowledge of magnetic bearing or brushless motor design and winding analysis
• Experience with thermal analysis and thermal management of power electronics in SWaP‑constrained designs
• Familiarity with applicable aerospace standards (MIL-STD-704, MIL-STD-461, EEE-INST-002)
• Experience working in a fast‑paced, startup environment or a similarly dynamic setting

COMPENSATION

• Base Salaries:
  • Mechanisms Engineer III: $115,000-$170,000
  • Senior Mechanisms Engineer: $150,000-$220,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job‑related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to maintain or obtain TS//SCI clearance
• Work Location—this role will be onsite at either our Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA locations, with travel to other sites as needed.
• Work environment— the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.