Fall 2026: Control Systems & Algorithm Engineering Co-op (July to December)

SharkNinja•Needham, MA

4h•$17 - $44•Onsite

About The Position

SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trusted, global brands, Shark and Ninja, the company has a proven track record of bringing disruptive innovation to market, and developing one consumer product after another has allowed SharkNinja to enter multiple product categories, driving significant growth and market share gains. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with more than 3,600+ associates, the company’s products are sold at key retailers, online and offline, and through distributors around the world. We are seeking a highly motivated Control Systems & Algorithms Co-op to join our team. We focus on developing real-time optimization and control algorithms for low-compute hardware that drive the next generation of smart household appliances. This role offers a hands-on opportunity to design, prototype, and validate control solutions that make appliances smarter, more efficient, and more reliable. This co-op opportunity will provide valuable experience in the field of control systems engineering and mechatronics with a focus on programming skills, optimization, and algorithms development. If you are passionate and want to work on challenging projects, we encourage you to apply.

Requirements

Current student in their third year or beyond of a bachelor's program, or currently enrolled in a master’s or doctorate program
Must be able to work a full-time, 40-hour-per-week schedule with 5 days per week onsite in Needham, MA
Strong understanding of control system theory (frequency response, stability margins, PID design and tuning) and design, including classical control and advanced control
Proficiency in embedded C/C++ programming and experience with microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, ESP32, Arduino, or similar)
Familiarity with real-time signal processing and sensor fusion techniques
Comfort working hands-on with hardware systems (sensors, actuators, thermal and electromechanical components)
Strong problem-solving ability and willingness to prototype quickly and iterate
A natural and effective communicator capable of reducing abstract concepts to reality
Able to quickly generate visual and physical definitions of new products that convey key attributes of function
Be naturally curious and relentlessly driven to find better solutions to everyday problems
Rarely Satisfied – Adopt a “no delays” mentality in delivering against market needs/timing
Progress over Perfection - Make quick, daily progress and continuously adapts to achieve results rather than requiring perfect planning
Details Make the Difference - Can coordinate timelines & deliverables to ensure accuracy and consistency across all consumer-facing materials
Winning is a Team Sport - Ability to develop strong cross-functional relationships
Communicate for Impact - Strong communication skills - ability to deliver effective presentations to all levels of management

Nice To Haves

Experience with MATLAB/Simulink for system modeling, state-space control, and model-based design (including Simulink Coder/code generation)
Background in system identification, including real-time or machine-learning-based modeling
Knowledge of nonlinear optimization algorithms suitable for low-compute, embedded environments
Familiarity with TinyML, CMSIS libraries, or other embedded ML frameworks
Experience with embedded system architecture and designing control software frameworks

Responsibilities

Design and implement real-time control algorithms for appliance subsystems (thermal, fluidic, and electromechanical)
Work directly with pumps, heaters, boilers, AC/DC, and stepper motors, and their drivers
Interface with low-cost sensors (temperature, flow, pressure, torque, etc.) and implement signal processing, filtering, and estimation techniques (e.g., Kalman filters, etc.)
Apply classical control methods (frequency response analysis, PID design, and tuning) to achieve stability and robustness in systems with significant delays and nonlinearities
Rapidly build and iterate prototypes and test rigs to validate algorithms in real hardware environments
Collect and analyze experimental data to identify system dynamics and optimize performance
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop system design, software architecture, and bring control algorithms from concept to embedded deployment