Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer

Odys Aviation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Odys Aviation in Long Beach is looking for a Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer to develop controls and software for hybrid-electric aircraft. This role involves designing algorithms for motor drives, managing high-fidelity models, and ensuring performance aligns with aerospace certification. Candidates should have a master's degree in Electrical Engineering and at least 8 years of relevant experience, particularly in high-power motor drives and embedded software development.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in developing controls for high-power motor drives.
• Expertise in d-q theory and field-oriented control (FOC).
• Strong knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize discrete-time control loops for motor drives.
• Develop the Hybrid System Controller for energy management.
• Establish and manage MIL/SIL/HIL testing environments.

Skills

PMSM control systems

PMSM drives

MATLAB/Simulink

Embedded C/C++

DO-178C compliance

Education

MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Simscape

PLECS

Job description

About the Role

Odys Aviation is at the forefront of developing hybrid-electric aircraft to enable sustainable regional air travel. As the Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer, you will be responsible for the controls, embedded software, and simulation infrastructure supporting our SiC-based propulsion power electronics for both the Laila (UAV) and Alta (Hybrid-electric VTOL) programs.

This role focuses on controls and software development. You will be tasked with designing and tuning algorithms for our motor drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters, as well as the hybrid system controller that coordinates these components. Additionally, you will develop high-fidelity models to predict their behavior, establish MIL/SIL/HIL infrastructures for verification, and deliver the production firmware for operation. The design of power electronics hardware will remain with peer engineers; your responsibility is to ensure their systems achieve optimal performance.

The primary deliverable is a propulsion stack that aligns with simulation results, complies with aerospace certification requirements, and is robust enough to perform effectively in real flight conditions.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize discrete-time control loops for PMSM drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters, including FOC with MTPA/MTPV, flux-weakening, sensorless observers, SVPWM/DPWM, PLLs, and digital filters.

• Develop the Hybrid System Controller (HSC), which encompasses supervisory power-split and energy-management logic to coordinate the turbogenerator, battery, DC bus, and propulsion inverters. Responsibilities include managing mode transitions, startup and shutdown sequencing, and powertrain-level fault arbitration.

• Develop EMI-aware modulation and switching-frequency strategies for SiC stages operating at frequencies greater than 20–40 kHz; manage DC-link ripple, torque ripple, and acoustic constraints through software.

• Build and maintain high-fidelity propulsion models - including machines, SiC inverters/rectifiers, DC-link, batteries, propulsors, and sensors - using MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS. Identify parameters from bench and rig data and resolve discrepancies between models and experimental results.

• Establish and manage MIL/SIL/HIL environments using Typhoon HIL, OPAL-RT, and Speedgoat. Develop automated regression and fault-injection test suites, and release real-time model variants through Git-based continuous integration.

• Transition algorithms from model to target via Embedded Coder or hand-written C/C++ for DSP platforms (such as TI C2000, ARM Cortex-R/M, or equivalent). Deliver production firmware, including fixed-point implementation, fault detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR), diagnostics, and safe-state behavior.

• Translate system architecture into control specifications, simulation studies, and firmware requirements, and proactively communicate implementation risks to the systems architect.

• Define real-time communications and interface control documents (ICDs) for CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet protocols. Support dyno and iron-bird system integration, correlate simulation with hardware performance, and iterate designs to meet specifications.

• Produce deliverables aligned with DO-178C, DO-254, and ARP4754B standards, including design specifications, modeling reports, calibration guides, and verification evidence. Establish review processes and standardize templates for the controls and simulation workflow.

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or Controls; candidates with a BS and significant relevant experience will also be considered.

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in developing controls and embedded software for high-power motor drives or power converters.

• In-depth expertise in PMSM control systems, including d‑q theory, field-oriented control (FOC), space vector PWM (SVPWM)/discontinuous PWM (DPWM), observers, sensorless techniques, flux‑weakening, and fault detection.

• Proficient knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages, encompassing switching behavior, gate‑driver interactions, dead‑time effects, and high‑voltage protection—sufficient to design control and protection logic in adherence with device physics, even if not responsible for schematic drafting.

• Skilled in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS for powertrain modeling, with familiarity in SPICE for device-level analysis.

• Proven experience with MIL/SIL/HIL methodologies, including establishing new hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments and developing automated test suites.

• Experience in production embedded implementation utilizing Embedded Coder or hand‑coded C/C++ on DSPs, fixed-point arithmetic, real-time scheduling, and on‑target debugging.

• Demonstrated ability to lead controls and embedded subsystem development from concept.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace or eVTOL powertrain experience, with familiarity in FAA/EASA certification processes.

• Experience with DO-178C compliance in regulated environments, as well as working familiarity with DO-254, ARP4754B, FMEA/FTA, and requirements traceability.

• Hands‑on experience with Typhoon, OPAL-RT, and Speedgoat platforms, utilizing advanced Python/MATLAB test automation and Git-based continuous integration for models and code.

• Practical experience in production sensorless control, wide‑range flux‑weakening, ride‑through, and limp‑mode strategies, either in flight or field applications.

• Expertise in generator‑mode and active‑rectifier control for high‑speed machines, including multi‑three‑phase PWM synchronization and circulating‑current mitigation.

• Integration of BMS and flight controls over CAN, CAN‑FD, and Ethernet, with familiarity in TSN/PTP time‑synchronization.