Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer

Odys; Long Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Odys Aviation seeks a Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer to own control and embedded software for Laila/UAV and Alta/hybrid-electric VTOL power electronics. You will develop motor drives, active rectifiers, DC/DC converters, and the Hybrid System Controller, ensuring performance in simulation, bench, and flight tests.

You will build high-fidelity models, establish MIL/SIL/HIL infrastructure, and deliver production firmware aligned with aerospace certification and flight conditions.

Qualifications

• 8+ years developing controls and embedded software for high‑power motor drives or power converters.
• Deep, hands-on expertise in PMSM control: d-q theory, FOC, SVPWM/DPWM, sensorless observers, flux-weakening, fault detection.
• Working knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages (switching behavior, gate-driver interaction, dead-time effects, HV protection).
• Fluency in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS for powertrain modeling.
• Production embedded experience: Embedded Coder or hand-coded C/C++ on DSPs, fixed-point arithmetic, real-time scheduling, on-target debugging.
• A track record of leading a controls or embedded subsystem from concept to flight/field-ready.
• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or Controls preferred; BS with significant experience considered.

Responsibilities

• Control Algorithms for propulsion power electronics.
• Hybrid System Controller coordination and integration.
• Modeling & Simulation of powertrain systems.
• Firmware development and integration for flight readiness.
• Systems & Compliance ensuring aerospace standards.

Skills

PMSM control

Embedded software

Modeling & simulation

Real-time systems

Flight/field readiness lead

Education

MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering/Power Electronics/Controls

BS + significant relevant experience

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Simscape

PLECS

Typhoon

OPAL-RT

Speedgoat

Git-based CI

Job description

About Odys

Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world’s busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally.

To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We’re deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in 2026 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract.

We’re a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we’ve been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives.

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.

You’ll own the controls and embedded software for the propulsion power electronics on both Laila(UAV) and Alta (hybrid-electric VTOL) - the motor drives, active rectifiers, DC/DC converters, and the Hybrid System Controller that coordinates them. Power electronics hardware is designed by peer engineers; your job is to make their systems perform - in simulation, on the bench, and in flight.

You’ll set the direction for how we model, verify, and ship this stack: building high-fidelity simulation models, standing up MIL/SIL/HIL infrastructure, and delivering production firmware that holds up to aerospace certification and real flight conditions. This is a high-ownership, individual-contributor role with the latitude to shape how the controls and simulation function works as the team scales.

Responsibilities

• Control Algorithms

• Hybrid System Controller (HSC)

• Modeling & Simulation

• Firmware & Integration

• Systems & Compliance

Requirements

• 8+ years developing controls and embedded software for high-power motor drives or power converters.

• Deep, hands-on expertise in PMSM control: d-q theory, FOC, SVPWM/DPWM, sensorless observers, flux-weakening, and fault detection.

• Working knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages (switching behavior, gate-driver interaction, dead-time effects, HV protection) sufficient to design control/protection logic with device physics in mind.

• Fluency in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS for powertrain modeling.

• Production embedded experience: Embedded Coder or hand-coded C/C++ on DSPs, fixed-point arithmetic, real-time scheduling, on-target debugging.

• A track record of leading a controls or embedded subsystem from concept to flight/field-ready.

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

Preferred Qualifications

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

• DO-178C experience in a regulated environment, plus exposure to DO-254, ARP4754B, FMEA/FTA, and requirements traceability.

• Hands-on time with Typhoon, OPAL-RT, or Speedgoat, and Python/MATLAB test automation with Git-based CI.

• Production sensorless control, wide-range flux-weakening, ride-through, or limp-mode strategies in flight or field applications.

• Generator-mode/active-rectifier control for high-speed machines, including multi-three-phase PWM sync and circulating-current mitigation.

• BMS/flight-control integration over CAN, CAN-FD, or Ethernet, with TSN/PTP time-sync familiarity.

• SPICE experience for device-level analysis.