UAS Flight Controls Engineer

Strativ Group; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Strativ Group is seeking an experienced Flight Controls Engineer to design, develop, and field autonomous flight control laws for next‑gen UAS. You will own the full control loop from dynamics modeling and simulation to HITL testing and live flight validation.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years delivering safety‑critical control systems in aerospace/defense for fixed‑wing, VTOL, or multirotor platforms, with strong MATLAB/Simulink expertise and hands‑on embedded coding skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (Ph.D. preferred).
• Minimum 5+ years developing flight control systems in aerospace/defense industries.
• Strong background in control theory and real-time embedded implementation.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and implement flight control laws for diverse UAS platforms.
• Develop high-fidelity 6-DOF models and run MATLAB/Simulink simulations.
• Auto-code control algorithms into C/C++ for real-time embedded computers.
• Analyze flight data to refine aerodynamics and dynamics models.
• Lead SIL/HIL testing and assist with flight test validation.
• Perform safety analyses and support flight readiness activities.

Skills

Control theory

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++

Real-time embedded hardware

Flight testing

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical/Systems Engineering (Ph.D. preferred)

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Simulink Coder/Embedded Coder

C/C++

Real-time embedded hardware

Job description

Duration: 12 months with high likelihood of extension

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Flight Controls Engineer to design, develop, and field autonomous flight control laws for our next-generation Unmanned Airborne Systems (UAS). In this role, you will take ownership of the full control loop—from initial vehicle dynamics modeling and simulation through control algorithm development, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing, and live flight test validation.

The ideal candidate brings proven experience delivering safety-critical control systems within the aerospace and defense sector for fixed-wing, VTOL, or multirotor unmanned platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Control Law Development: Design, analyze, and implement linear and non-linear flight control algorithms (e.g., dynamic inversion, MPC, adaptive control) for diverse UAS platforms.
• Modeling & Simulation: Develop high-fidelity 6-DOF dynamic models of air vehicles, actuators, sensors, and environmental factors using MATLAB/Simulink.
• Software Implementation: Auto-code (Simulink Coder/Embedded Coder) or hand-code control algorithms into C/C++ targeting real-time embedded flight computers.
• System Identification: Analyze flight test data to refine and validate aerodynamic models, vehicle dynamics, and sensor/actuator characterizations.
• Integration & Testing: Participate in Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, as well as lead control system debugging during ground and live flight operations.
• Safety & Verification: Author control system requirements, perform stability margin analyses (gain/phase margins, robustness tests), and support flight readiness reviews.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (Ph.D. preferred),
• Industry Experience: Minimum 5+ years of direct experience developing flight control systems within aerospace and defense companies that design, manufacture, or integrate UAS.
• Technical Mastery
• Deep knowledge of classical and modern control theory (PID, LQR/LQG, gain scheduling, state estimation.
• Expert-level proficiency with MATLAB & Simulink for model-based design and 6-DOF simulation.
• Hands-on experience implementing control algorithms on real-time embedded hardware using C/C++.
• UAS Domain Expertise: Direct experience with UAS dynamics (fixed-wing, VTOL, or rotary), guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) integration, and flight testing
• Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship required due to defense contracting requirements (ITAR/EAR).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, or proprietary defense flight control stacks
• Familiarity with military and aerospace standards (e.g., DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-F-8785C, MIL-STD-810).
• Background in sensor fusion, Kalman filtering (EKF/UKF), and GPS-denied navigation systems
• FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate or experience serving as a flight test engineer/director.