Controls Engineer I / Electrical Engineer I

Communications & Power Industries (CPI)•Plano, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Controls Engineer I, you’ll support the design, development, testing, and integration of control systems for advanced ground station antennas and Optical Telescopes. Working alongside experienced electrical, controls, mechanical, software, and systems engineers, you’ll gain hands-on experience with motion control, embedded systems, motors, servo drives, and antenna tracking systems. This is an opportunity for a recent Electrical Engineering graduate to apply classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges while developing expertise in satellite communications and precision motion-control systems. This position requires U.S. citizenship due to government contract and facility security requirements. Candidates who are not U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, EAD holders, and individuals with visa-based work authorization, are not eligible for consideration.

Requirements

This position requires U.S. citizenship due to government contract and facility security requirements. Candidates who are not U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, EAD holders, and individuals with visa-based work authorization, are not eligible for consideration.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance is required.
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Controls Engineering, or a related field.
0–2 years of engineering experience; recent college graduates are encouraged to apply.
Working knowledge of electrical engineering concepts, principles, theories, and processes.
Foundational understanding of control systems, electrical circuits, electronics, and/or embedded systems.
Familiarity with C or embedded C programming.
Basic understanding of motors, servo systems, sensors, and feedback control is preferred.
Familiarity with CAN bus or other communication protocols is a plus.
Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and engineering drawings.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot technical issues methodically.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team.
Ability to manage multiple assignments, learn new technologies, and work effectively under the direction of senior engineers.
Significant domestic and international travel will be required to support field installations (30-40%).

Nice To Haves

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Hands-on experience through academic projects, internships, co-ops, robotics, laboratory work, or personal projects involving motors, controls, embedded systems, electronics, or automation.
Experience with engineering software, simulation tools, or laboratory test equipment through coursework or project work.
Exposure to brushless DC motors, servo drives, PID control, motion control, or antenna tracking systems.
Familiarity with CAN bus, CANopen, or similar communication protocols.

Responsibilities

Participates in electrical requirements analysis, functional analysis, performance analysis (e.g. timing, power, etc.), design, integration and verification of electrical components, equipment and systems.
Support the design and development of control systems for full-motion ground station antennas under the guidance of experienced engineers.
Tasks include electrical system configuration, component selection and specification, design, schematic capture, layout, and test of analog and digital electronics, wiring, harnessing, and connectorization of servo and RF systems, and all aspects of integration, test, troubleshooting, and production support. Candidate will work closely with servo, software, mechanical, production, and test personnel.
Assist with developing, tuning, and troubleshooting PID control loops for motion-control applications.
Support the development and documentation of electrical and control system architectures using CAN bus or similar communication protocols.
Develop, modify, and troubleshoot embedded C code for control applications.
Assist with the integration and testing of brushless DC motors, servo drives, encoders, and other motion-control components.
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers to integrate control systems into antenna products.
Perform basic system modeling, simulation, testing, and data analysis to evaluate system performance.
Support laboratory and field testing, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis of control system issues.
Participates in internal electrical reviews of electrical components, equipment and systems.
Evaluates vendor capability to support product development.
Create and maintain engineering documentation, including schematics, specifications, test procedures, and other technical documentation.
Review customer requirements and engineering specifications with senior engineers to assess technical requirements and potential solutions.
Participate in engineering design reviews and contribute to continuous improvement of products and processes.
Support engineering projects from concept through prototype, testing, and production release.
Installations and field support activities.
Follow established engineering standards, processes, procedures, and development tools.
Maintain a focus on product quality, reliability, and cost throughout the development process.