Mechanisms Engineer (III or Senior), Motor Control

True Anomaly; Long Beach, Denver (CA, CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision benefits

401K plan

Parental Leave

Paid holidays

Job summary

A cutting-edge aerospace technology company is seeking a talented Mechanisms Engineer for motor control development at its Long Beach, CA location. The ideal candidate should possess at least 5 years of professional experience in motor control design, focusing on both drive electronics and firmware development. You'll design integrated solutions suitable for space requirements. An educational background in Electrical Engineering is essential, along with proficiency in embedded programming. Equity and benefits are included in the compensation package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in motor control system design, including drive electronics and firmware.
• Experience with brushless DC and stepper motor circuit design.
• Proficiency in embedded C or C++ for real-time applications.

Responsibilities

• Design motor drive electronics for DC and stepper systems.
• Develop and implement embedded firmware for motor control.
• Characterize motor and drive systems for efficiency and performance.
• Collaborate with GNC to validate closed-loop pointing and tracking for precise actuation.
• Lead drive hardware bring-up, integration, and qualification testing.
• Integrate motor control electronics with spacecraft avionics and flight software.
• Create and maintain schematics, firmware architecture, test plans, and reports.
• Contribute to component selection, trade studies, and design reviews.
• Mentor junior engineers and improve mechanisms engineering processes.

Skills

Motor control system design

Embedded C or C++

Communication interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN)

Hardware debug and characterization

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Gate driver & power stage

Sensor & EMI mitigation

Thermal analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

Master's preferred

Tools

Test equipment

DACs and ADCs

UART

CAN

STM32

TI C2000

Job description

Mechanisms Engineer (III or Senior), Motor Control

Denver, CO or Long Beach, CA

A new space race has begun. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build innovative technology that solves the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges for space security and sustainability.

OUR MISSION

The peaceful use of space is essential for continued prosperity on Earth—from communications and finance to navigation and logistics. True Anomaly builds innovative technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners. We safeguard global security by ensuring space access and sustainability for all.

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 andvalidateclosed-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 andmaintaindesign documentation including schematics, firmware architecture, test plans, and analysis reports
• Contribute tocomponentselection, trade studies, and design reviews across themechanismsproduct 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'spreferred)
• 5+ years of professional experience in motor control system design, withdemonstrateddepth 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
• Proficiencyin 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 inSWaP‑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

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

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.

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 let us know.

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.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below.