Temporary Research Engineer

Worcester Polytech; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) seeks a Temporary Research Engineer to design, prove out, and fly safety-critical control systems for multirotor aircraft. You will develop control and runtime-assurance methods with real guarantees, then push them onto flight hardware and validate them in the air.

Key responsibilities include implementing production-quality C++ for embedded flight computers, integrating with ROS 2 and MAVLink, and meeting real-time constraints on limited compute.

Qualifications

• MS in a closely related field.
• Strong foundation in nonlinear control and dynamics.
• Demonstrated experience with UAV or multirotor control in research.
• Proficiency in C++ (C++14 or later) and Python, including real hardware.
• Experience taking an algorithm from derivation through simulation to hardware validation.
• Clear technical writing and the ability to explain proofs and bugs.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze controllers for quadrotors and other multirotors.
• Develop production-quality C++ for real-time execution on embedded flight computers; use Python for analysis.
• Plan and execute flight tests; run simulations and hardware-in-the-loop validation; analyze logs.

Skills

Nonlinear control

Dynamics

Lyapunov analysis

Optimal control

State estimation

Rigid-body dynamics

UAV multirotor control

Education

MS in Aerospace Engineering

MS in Electrical Engineering

MS in Mechanical Engineering

MS in Robotics

MS in Computer Science

Closely related field

Tools

ROS 2

MAVLink

C++14

Python

Job description

JOB TITLE

Temporary Research Engineer

LOCATION

Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME

Robotics Engineering - JM

DIVISION NAME

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

We are looking for a Temporary Research Engineer to design, prove out, and fly safety-critical control systems for multirotor aircraft. You will develop control and runtime-assurance methods with real guarantees, then push them onto flight hardware and validate them in the air.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Responsibilities:

• Safety-critical control design
  • Develop and analyze control algorithms for quadrotors and other multirotors, including geometric control on SE(3), nonlinear MPC, robust and adaptive control, and disturbance observers.
  • Design safety filters and constraint-enforcement layers using methods such as control barrier functions, reachability analysis, and contraction metrics.
  • Derive and document stability, robustness, and safety guarantees, including the assumptions under which they hold and how they fail.
• Implementation
  • Write production-quality C++ for real-time execution on embedded flight computers, with Python for analysis and prototyping.
  • Integrate with flight stacks and middleware such as ROS 2, and MAVLink.
  • Meet real-time constraints on limited compute, and profile and optimize control loops accordingly.
• Validation and flight test
  • Run Monte Carlo campaigns, software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing, and adversarial and edge-case scenario suites.
  • Plan and execute flight test campaigns: write test cards, define abort criteria, support flight ops, and analyze logs afterward.
  • Close the loop between flight data and models, and update the models when reality disagrees.

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• Strong foundation in nonlinear control and dynamics: Lyapunov analysis, optimal control, state estimation, and rigid-body dynamics.
• Demonstrated experience with UAV or multirotor control, in research.
• Proficiency in C++ (C++14 or later) and Python, including software running on real hardware rather than only in simulation.
• Experience taking an algorithm from derivation through simulation to hardware validation.
• Clear technical writing and the ability to explain a proof and a bug with equal precision.

Hourly pay rate: $18.75 per hour. This is an on-site 20 hour per week temporary position.

FLSA STATUS United States of America (Non-Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability.

It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making.

It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.

About WPI

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a vibrant and diverse community of extraordinary students, talented and dedicated staff, and world-renowned faculty.

Along with its state-of-the-art research facilities, WPI offers competitive and comprehensive employee benefit programs, including paid time off, health insurance, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement savings plans, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, and a working environment that prioritizes mental health and well-being.

It is a community committed to civility and respect—making inclusion and belonging a reality for everyone on its campus.