Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer

Odys Aviation • Long Beach, CA

4d

About The Position

Odys Aviation is at the forefront of developing hybrid-electric aircraft to enable sustainable regional air travel. As the Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer, you will be responsible for the controls, embedded software, and simulation infrastructure supporting our SiC-based propulsion power electronics for both the Laila (UAV) and Alta (Hybrid-electric VTOL) programs.
This role focuses on controls and software development. You will be tasked with designing and tuning algorithms for our motor drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters, as well as the hybrid system controller that coordinates these components. Additionally, you will develop high-fidelity models to predict their behavior, establish MIL/SIL/HIL infrastructures for verification, and deliver the production firmware for operation. The design of power electronics hardware will remain with peer engineers; your responsibility is to ensure their systems achieve optimal performance.
The primary deliverable is a propulsion stack that aligns with simulation results, complies with aerospace certification requirements, and is robust enough to perform effectively in real flight conditions.

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or Controls; candidates with a BS and significant relevant experience will also be considered.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in developing controls and embedded software for high-power motor drives or power converters.
• In-depth expertise in PMSM control systems, including d-q theory, field-oriented control (FOC), space vector PWM (SVPWM)/discontinuous PWM (DPWM), observers, sensorless techniques, flux-weakening, and fault detection.
• Proficient knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages, encompassing switching behavior, gate-driver interactions, dead-time effects, and high-voltage protection—sufficient to design control and protection logic in adherence with device physics, even if not responsible for schematic drafting.
• Skilled in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS for powertrain modeling, with familiarity in SPICE for device-level analysis.
• Proven experience with MIL/SIL/HIL methodologies, including establishing new hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments and developing automated test suites.
• Experience in production embedded implementation utilizing Embedded Coder or hand-coded C/C++ on DSPs, fixed-point arithmetic, real-time scheduling, and on-target debugging.
• Demonstrated ability to lead controls and embedded subsystem development from concept.

Nice To Haves

• Aerospace or eVTOL powertrain experience, with familiarity in FAA/EASA certification processes.
• Experience with DO-178C compliance in regulated environments, as well as working familiarity with DO-254, ARP4754B, FMEA/FTA, and requirements traceability.
• Hands-on experience with Typhoon, OPAL-RT, and Speedgoat platforms, utilizing advanced Python/MATLAB test automation and Git-based continuous integration for models and code.
• Practical experience in production sensorless control, wide-range flux-weakening, ride-through, and limp-mode strategies, either in flight or field applications.
• Expertise in generator-mode and active-rectifier control for high-speed machines, including multi-three-phase PWM synchronization and circulating-current mitigation.
• Integration of BMS and flight controls over CAN, CAN-FD, and Ethernet, with familiarity in TSN/PTP time-synchronization.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize discrete-time control loops for PMSM drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters, including FOC with MTPA/MTPV, flux-weakening, sensorless observers, SVPWM/DPWM, PLLs, and digital filters.
• Develop the Hybrid System Controller (HSC), which encompasses supervisory power-split and energy-management logic to coordinate the turbogenerator, battery, DC bus, and propulsion inverters. Responsibilities include managing mode transitions, startup and shutdown sequencing, and powertrain-level fault arbitration.
• Develop EMI-aware modulation and switching-frequency strategies for SiC stages operating at frequencies greater than 20–40 kHz; manage DC-link ripple, torque ripple, and acoustic constraints through software.
• Build and maintain high-fidelity propulsion models - including machines, SiC inverters/rectifiers, DC-link, batteries, propulsors, and sensors - using MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS. Identify parameters from bench and rig data and resolve discrepancies between models and experimental results.
• Establish and manage MIL/SIL/HIL environments using Typhoon HIL, OPAL-RT, and Speedgoat. Develop automated regression and fault-injection test suites, and release real-time model variants through Git-based continuous integration.
• Transition algorithms from model to target via Embedded Coder or hand-written C/C++ for DSP platforms (such as TI C2000, ARM Cortex-R/M, or equivalent). Deliver production firmware, including fixed-point implementation, fault detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR), diagnostics, and safe-state behavior.
• Translate system architecture into control specifications, simulation studies, and firmware requirements, and proactively communicate implementation risks to the systems architect.
• Define real-time communications and interface control documents (ICDs) for CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet protocols. Support dyno and iron-bird system integration, correlate simulation with hardware performance, and iterate designs to meet specifications.
• Produce deliverables aligned with DO-178C, DO-254, and ARP4754B standards, including design specifications, modeling reports, calibration guides, and verification evidence. Establish review processes and standardize templates for the controls and simulation workflow.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior