Job Overview
The successful candidate will be responsible for the design, analysis, implementation, integration, and validation of control systems used throughout our marine propulsion products.
This position focuses on developing robust control strategies for complex electro-mechanical systems. Depending on the application, solutions may range from classical feedback controllers to modern model-based techniques, with an emphasis on selecting the most effective approach for each problem.
Working closely with embedded software, mechanical, and systems engineers, the successful candidate will translate control concepts into production-ready implementations and support system integration, testing, and validation.
This is a hands-on engineering role involving system modeling, simulation, control algorithm development, laboratory testing, hardware integration, and sea trials.
Responsibilities
· Design, analyze, and develop control systems for complex electro-mechanical applications.
· Develop control strategies for propulsion, steering, and vessel control systems, including gearboxes, waterjets, throttles, trim tabs, bow thrusters, hydraulic systems, and other marine actuators.
· Characterize and model dynamic system behavior through engineering analysis, simulation, and experimental testing to support controller design and validation.
· Prototype and evaluate control algorithms using simulation and desktop software prior to production implementation.
· Work closely with embedded software engineers to transition control algorithms into production firmware.
· Design and implement classical and modern control algorithms, including PID, feedforward, gain scheduling, state-space, observer-based, and other techniques appropriate to the application.
· Support hardware integration, laboratory testing, system tuning, and sea trials.
· Develop test plans and validation procedures to verify controller performance, robustness, and fault tolerance across expected operating conditions.
· Investigate field performance, resolve control-related issues, and continuously improve system behavior and reliability.
· Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.
· Prepare engineering documentation, including design analyses, technical specifications, validation reports, and interface documentation.
Desired Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline.
- M.S. or Ph.D. with a focus on Controls, Dynamic Systems, Robotics, or a related field is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing control systems for real-world electro-mechanical applications.
· Ability to develop mathematical and simulation-based models of dynamic systems and apply first-principles engineering to practical control problems.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
- Comfortable working with hardware during system integration, testing, and validation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred Technical Experience
Experience with many (not necessarily all) of the following technologies and disciplines is desirable:
Control Systems
Classical feedback control (PID, lead/lag, feedforward, cascade)
- Modern control methods (state-space, observers, Kalman filtering)
- System identification and dynamic system modeling
- Stability and frequency-domain analysis
- Motion control, servo systems, and actuator control
- Controller tuning, validation, and performance optimization
Modeling & Software
· MATLAB / Simulink (or equivalent modeling and simulation tools)
· Python
· C/C++
· Numerical methods and simulation
· Data analysis and visualization
· Experience implementing or supporting control algorithms in embedded systems is a plus.
Hardware & Integration
· Sensors and instrumentation
· Electric motors, servo systems, and hydraulic actuators
· CAN, CANopen, J1939, NMEA 2000, or similar industrial communication networks
· Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and data acquisition equipment
· Hardware integration and laboratory testing
Why Join Vector Controls?
At Vector Controls, you'll work on complete control systems—from system modeling and controller design to embedded implementation, hardware integration, and sea trials. As part of a small multidisciplinary engineering team, you'll have significant technical ownership and the opportunity to develop solutions that directly impact the performance, reliability, and safety of operational marine systems.
Experience in the marine industry is not required. We value strong control engineering fundamentals and welcome candidates from aerospace, robotics, automotive, industrial automation, medical devices, motion control, and other industries where dynamic systems and feedback control are central to the product.
Pay: $150,000.00 - $170,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Work Location: In person
