Senior Motor Control Engineer

Menlo Ventures; Laguna Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision insurance

Paid time off & holidays

401K

Parental Leave

Equity participation

Job summary

True Anomaly, based in Laguna Beach, CA, is seeking a Senior Motor Control Engineer to lead motor control design for spacecraft mechanisms, including gimbals, SADA, and deployment systems. You will own from algorithm development to drive electronics, collaborating with GNC, avionics, and test teams in a hybrid, on-site setting near Centennial/Long Beach.

The role emphasizes architecture definition, high reliability, and mentoring of teammates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in motor control engineering.
• Experience with stepper motor control and microstepping techniques.
• Strong background in control theory, including PID control, state-space methods, and stability analysis.
• Experience with motor control firmware development in C/C++ for embedded systems.
• Experience designing motor drive electronics, including gate drivers, power stages, and current sensing circuits.
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink for analysis and design.
• Experience with motor control testing using oscilloscopes, power analyzers, dynamometers, and torque measurement systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the design and development of motor control systems for spacecraft mechanisms, including brushless DC motors, stepper motors, and associated drive electronics.
• Develop motor control firmware for precision actuation systems, including closed-loop servo control, commutation algorithms, and fault detection.
• Design and prototype motor drive electronics, including gate drivers, power stages, current sensing, and feedback interfaces.
• Develop and implement control algorithms for precision pointing, tracking, and positioning applications with tight stability and disturbance rejection requirements.
• Define motor control architecture and interface requirements for solar array drive assemblies (SADA), solar array drive electronics (SADE), deployment mechanisms, and precision gimbals.
• Lead COTS component selection and qualification for motor control systems, including motors, drivers, sensors, and feedback devices.
• Collaborate with the GNC team to integrate motor control systems into spacecraft attitude determination and control loops.
• Lead motor and actuator trade studies, including performance modeling, power budgeting, thermal analysis, and reliability assessment.
• Develop test plans and lead testing campaigns for motor control systems, including characterization, environmental testing, and life testing.
• Develop and maintain motor control documentation, including control specifications, firmware design documents, test procedures, and integration guides.
• Support hardware through integration, launch, and on-orbit operations, including commissioning and troubleshooting.
• Drive continuous improvement of motor control architectures, test approaches, and development processes.

Skills

Motor control engineering

C/C++ embedded systems

Control theory

Excellent written and verbal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Altium Designer

Oscilloscopes

Power analyzers

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.

BENEFITS & PERKS*

• Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with HSA/HRA options
• Generous time off: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for exempt employees, accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays; Parental Leave; Sick Leave
• Fuel for your day: Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks for in-office employees
• And more: 401(k) retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, and Dog Fridays
• Equity participation: Equity is included as part of our total compensation package, giving you an opportunity to share in the company’s success.

*Do not apply to fixed term and temporary roles

YOUR MISSION

True Anomaly is seeking a talented and experienced Senior Motor Control Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of motor control systems for spacecraft mechanisms. Reporting to the Mechanisms Engineering Manager, you will own the motor control domain end-to-end—from control algorithm development and firmware implementation through drive electronics design, testing, and on-orbit validation. You will be responsible for the motor control solutions that drive precision pointing gimbals, solar array drive assemblies (SADA), deployment mechanisms, and other critical actuation systems across our spacecraft platforms. As a senior contributor, you will define motor control architectures, drive technical trades balancing performance and reliability, mentor team members, and collaborate closely with mechanisms, avionics, GNC, and test teams to deliver high-reliability solutions for space.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the design and development of motor control systems for spacecraft mechanisms, including brushless DC motors, stepper motors, and associated drive electronics
• Develop motor control firmware for precision actuation systems, including closed-loop servo control, commutation algorithms, and fault detection
• Design and prototype motor drive electronics, including gate drivers, power stages, current sensing, and feedback interfaces
• Develop and implement control algorithms for precision pointing, tracking, and positioning applications with tight stability and disturbance rejection requirements
• Define motor control architecture and interface requirements for solar array drive assemblies (SADA), solar array drive electronics (SADE), deployment mechanisms, and precision gimbals
• Lead COTS component selection and qualification for motor control systems, including motors, drivers, sensors, and feedback devices
• Collaborate with the GNC team to integrate motor control systems into spacecraft attitude determination and control loops
• Lead motor and actuator trade studies, including performance modeling, power budgeting, thermal analysis, and reliability assessment
• Develop test plans and lead testing campaigns for motor control systems, including characterization, environmental testing, and life testing
• Develop and maintain motor control documentation, including control specifications, firmware design documents, test procedures, and integration guides
• Support hardware through integration, launch, and on-orbit operations, including commissioning and troubleshooting
• Drive continuous improvement of motor control architectures, test approaches, and development processes

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of professional experience in motor control engineering
• Experience with stepper motor control and microstepping techniques
• Strong background in control theory, including PID control, state-space methods, and stability analysis
• Experience with motor control firmware development in C/C++ for embedded systems
• Experience designing motor drive electronics, including gate drivers, power stages, and current sensing circuits
• Proficiency with simulation and analysis tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, or similar
• Experience with motor control testing using oscilloscopes, power analyzers, dynamometers, and torque measurement systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• Experience with spacecraft motor control systems, including solar array drive assemblies (SADA), reaction wheels, or precision pointing mechanisms
• Experience with radiation-tolerant motor control design and fault mitigation strategies for space applications
• Experience with high-reliability motor control design practices and derating analysis
• Knowledge of position feedback systems including resolvers, encoders, and Hall effect sensors
• Experience with PCB design tools (Altium Designer preferred) and schematic capture for motor drive circuits
• Familiarity with FPGA-based motor control implementation
• Experience with thermal management for motor drive electronics in vacuum environments
• Knowledge of MIL-SPEC and NASA standards applicable to spacecraft motor control systems
• Experience working in a fast-paced, startup environment or a similarly dynamic setting

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $135,000 - $200,000
• 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—Successful candidates will be located near Centennial or Long Beach. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.
• 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 know.