Senior Advanced Controls Systems Engineer

Radiant•El Segundo, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. The company’s first reactor, Kaleidos, is a 1-megawatt failsafe microreactor that can be transported anywhere power is needed and run for up to five years without the need to refuel. Portable nuclear power with rapid deploy capability can replace similar-sized diesel generators, and provide critical asset support for hospitals, data centers, remote sites, and military bases. Radiant’s unique, practical approach to nuclear development utilizes modern software engineering to rapidly achieve safe, factory-built microreactors that leverage existing, well-qualified materials. Founded in 2020, Radiant is on track to test its first reactor next year at the Idaho National Laboratory, with initial customer deliveries beginning in 2028. Senior Advanced Controls Systems Engineer Radiant is seeking a Senior Advanced Controls Systems Engineer to lead the design, implementation, and validation of autonomous control systems for nuclear microreactors. In this role, you will own control system development end-to-end—from requirements definition through operational deployment—including algorithm development, modeling and simulation, embedded implementation, and system validation. You will design and integrate tightly coupled control functions spanning reactivity control, primary loop mass flow, alternator/generator speed, and multi-reactor coordination on microgrids. The ideal candidate is comfortable working within regulatory environments, developing autonomous and adaptive control strategies, and performing system-level analysis of nonlinear, coupled dynamic systems. This role requires close collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams responsible for hardware, software, and system integration.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in dynamic system modeling, control algorithm development, simulation, testing, and auto-code generation using MATLAB/Simulink, including deployment to embedded targets.
5+ years of experience designing, implementing, and calibrating controllers for linear and nonlinear dynamic systems.
Deep expertise in classical control theory, including: Stability analysis, On/off and PID control, Sliding mode control, Multivariable control, Gain scheduling, Reference tracking, bandwidth design, controllability, and observability analysis
Strong expertise in advanced and nonlinear control, including Nonlinear system modeling and stability analysis (Lyapunov methods), Optimal control (LQR, LQG, MPC), Adaptive control (MRAC, STR), Robust control methods
Hands-on experience designing controllers and observers for stochastic systems.
Hands-on experience designing observers and estimators for linear and nonlinear systems.
Experience modeling, simulating, and testing complex coupled dynamic systems.
Expertise in Monte Carlo analysis, uncertainty quantification, and system identification.
Familiarity with industrial and embedded communication protocols, including EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, CANOpen, Ethernet, and RS-422/485.

Nice To Haves

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Nuclear Engineering, or a related discipline.
8+ years of experience in control systems engineering.
Hands-on experience designing nonlinear control systems for autonomous platforms, including GNC systems, autonomous driving, or robotics.
Experience with autonomous system diagnostics, including fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR).
Experience with permanent magnet synchronous motor control, including FOC, VSM, and sensorless techniques.
Experience with turbomachinery control, including turbines or jet engines.
Experience with microgrid control and multi-source power systems.

Responsibilities

Master's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Nuclear Engineering, or a related discipline.
Serve as Responsible Engineer with full technical ownership of Kaleidos control systems, including generator, supervisory, and plant-level controls.
Design and implement subsystem control architectures, including Reactor reactivity control mechanisms, Electrical power conversion and grid interface controls, Generator and alternator speed control (FOC, SVM)
Develop control algorithms, embedded software, and analytic models to derive and flow down requirements to components and subsystems.
Perform system-level modeling and analysis of coupled linear and nonlinear dynamics.
Lead control system prototyping, simulation, hardware testing, validation, and verification activities.
Develop and execute methods for analyzing control system performance, robustness, and stability.
Review and analyze test data to validate control performance and inform design iteration.
Author technical documentation and support regulatory review and licensing of control systems.
Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, nuclear, and software engineering teams to ensure successful system integration.

Benefits

Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.
Medical: 100% premium coverage for base Silver level plan for employee + 50% premium coverage for dependents. Platinum plans available.
One Medical: Sponsored memberships for eligible employees and their dependents.
Vision: 100% premium coverage for top tier plan + 50% for dependents.
Dental: 100% premium coverage for top tier plan (including orthodontia) + 50% for dependents.
Voluntary life, accident, hospital, critical illness, commuter and FSA/HSA are offered as employee contributed benefits.
8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees.
Daily catered lunch.
Free snacks and drinks.
Flexible PTO policy.
Remote workday allocation.
Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and in-person camaraderie.
Beautiful El Segundo headquarters close to the Pacific Ocean.