Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer

ODys; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Odys Aviation seeks a Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer to own the controls, embedded software, and simulation stack for the Laila UAV and Alta hybrid-electric VTOL programs.

You will model propulsion systems in MATLAB/Simulink, stand up MIL/SIL/HIL environments, and deliver production firmware aligned with DO-178C/DO-254 requirements for real 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, fault detection.
• Fluency with SiC MOSFET-based stages and control/protection logic.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune discrete-time control loops for PMSM drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters.
• Build supervisory power-split and energy-management logic coordinating turbogenerator, battery, DC bus, and propulsion inverters.
• Develop high-fidelity propulsion models in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS and run MIL/SIL/HIL environments.

Skills

PMSM control

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++ embedded

Control theory

FOC/SVPWM

Flight/field-ready

Education

MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Typhoon HIL

OPAL-RT

Speedgoat

Git-based CI

Python

Job description

About Odys

At Odys, we’re mobilizing power, with Hybrid Power Systems developed for aerospace and in-demand everywhere. It’s the kind of mission diversity that demands a fresh way of thinking.

We began with an early bet on hybrid, when the mobility industry was focused on batteries. We designed, tested, and validated our first 1 MW high-speed generator in 12 months. And then we pushed further, developing systems with greater power density in less time. Today, our Hybrid Power Systems offer outputs ranging from 20 kW to 4 MW, with applications in the air or on the ground.

One of those applications is Laila, an unmanned drone designed for critical logistics and defense missions. With its 100 kW-class onboard Hybrid Power System, Laila can support medical cold-chain transport or serve as an aerial platform for counter-UAS measures.

The market interest has been overwhelming: Over 30 inbound requests from leading US and global manufacturers, and 14+ DoD contracts.

Our team comes from deep tech and aerospace, with backgrounds spanning drone and aircraft development, high-volume production, and electrified mobility.

We operate with urgency and ownership at every level. We validated high-speed generator technology faster than our peers, not because we skipped steps, but because we've been doing this long enough to know which ones matter most.

Creating the future of power, in the air and on the ground, is a challenge we’ve been training our entire lives for. If that sounds like you, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

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

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

  • Develop EMI-aware modulation and switching-frequency strategies for SiC stages (20-40+ kHz), managing DC-link ripple, torque ripple, and acoustic constraints in software.

• Hybrid System Controller (HSC)

  • Build the supervisory power-split and energy-management logic that coordinates the turbogenerator, battery, DC bus, and propulsion inverters.

  • Own mode transitions, startup/shutdown sequencing, and powertrain-level fault arbitration.

• Modeling & Simulation

  • Build and maintain high-fidelity propulsion models (machines, SiC inverters/rectifiers, DC-link, batteries, propulsors, sensors) in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS.

  • Identify parameters from bench and rig data and resolve model-vs-test discrepancies.

  • Stand up and run MIL/SIL/HIL environments (Typhoon HIL, OPAL-RT, Speedgoat), including automated regression and fault-injection suites with Git-based CI for real-time model releases.

• Firmware & Integration

  • Take algorithms from model to target via Embedded Coder or hand-written C/C++ on DSP platforms (TI C2000, ARM Cortex-R/M, or similar) - fixed-point implementation, FDIR, diagnostics, and safe-state behavior.

  • Define real-time comms and ICDs for CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet; support dyno and iron-bird integration and correlate simulation with hardware performance.

• Systems & Compliance

  • Translate system architecture into control specs, simulation studies, and firmware requirements; flag implementation risk to the systems architect early.

  • Produce design specs, modeling reports, calibration guides, and verification evidence aligned to DO-178C, DO-254, and ARP4754B; help standardize templates and review processes for the controls/sim workflow as we grow.

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.