Principal Engineer

Actalent; Hagerstown (MD); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) plan

Life Insurance

Disability benefits

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

PTO/Vacation/Sick Leave

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Principal Engineer - Controls in Hagerstown, MD to lead development of vehicle control strategies for engines, electrified powertrains, and both on‑ and off‑road systems. The role encompasses system-level requirements, model‑based design, and mentoring the team in a fast‑paced engineering environment.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience with C++, Stateflow, CAN/J1939, and MathWorks tools, plus strong project management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Automotive or heavy‑duty vehicle background with vehicle control system experience.
• Experience with CAN bus and architecture in automotive contexts.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Stateflow, and MathWorks.

Responsibilities

• Lead the exploration of vehicle control technologies, systems, and methods.
• Develop and implement control strategies and system-level requirements for vehicle control systems.
• Draft functional requirements for control integration and adaptation.
• Mentor team, review architecture, and set standards for projects.
• Manage projects and contribute to model-based design using MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow.

Skills

C++ programming

Stateflow

CAN bus SAE J1939

Vector tools

Model-based design

MATLAB/Simulink

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

PhD in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Vector

PEAK

Job description

Job Title: Principal Engineer - Controls

Job Description

The Principal Engineer - Controls is responsible for leading the exploration and development of vehicle control strategies. This role involves developing and implementing advanced strategies and system-level requirements for vehicle control systems, with a focus on engine and electric vehicles. The engineer will work on components such as electronic control modules, motors, drives, engines, sensors, material handling systems, and other auxiliary systems for both on-road and off-road applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the exploration of applicable technologies, systems, and methods for vehicle control strategies.
• Develop and implement advanced strategies and system-level requirements for vehicle control systems.
• Work on control strategy development and verification for various components and systems.
• Draft functional requirements for control integration and adaptation.
• Utilize CAN Bus SAE J1939 and relevant tools such as Vector and PEAK.
• Conduct PIL Testing.
• Ensure compliance with function safety standards such as ISO and IEC61508.
• Provide technical mentorship by reviewing architecture, setting standards, and guiding team members.
• Manage projects and contribute to model-based design using MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow.
• Develop electrification and hybrid powertrain strategies including HVBMS, inverter control, and motor torque strategies.

Essential Skills

• Proficiency in C++ and design.
• Experience with Stateflow.
• Control integration and adaptation skills, preferably in mobile or hydraulics.
• Experience with CAN Bus SAE J1939 and tool usage such as Vector and PEAK.
• Knowledge of PIL Testing.
• Familiarity with function safety standards like ISO and IEC61508.
• Strong project management skills.
• Model-based design experience with MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Automotive or heavy-duty vehicle background with vehicle control system experience.
• Experience in automotive or heavy-duty vehicle CAN bus and architecture.
• Experience with Vector/PEAK/etc. tools.
• Advanced qualifications such as eight or more years of experience with a bachelor's degree, five or more years with a master's degree, or two or more years with a Ph.D. in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Experience with MathWorks.
• Embedded software development experience using C/C++.

Work Environment

This position is based in an office setting. As a consultant, you will receive 10 paid holidays and two weeks of vacation.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Hagerstown, MD.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $67.00 - $67.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&DD for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully onsite position in Hagerstown,MD. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Oct 3, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.