About the job
Join Mach Industries as a Principal Controls Engineer
Founded in 2022, Mach Industries is a visionary defense technology firm dedicated to pioneering next-generation autonomous defense platforms. Our mission is to provide scalable, decentralized defense systems that significantly bolster the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a dynamic team of approximately 220 employees, we embody the spirit of a startup, combining agility with ambition.
We aspire to transform the landscape of warfare through innovative manufacturing practices, rapid technological advancements, and a steadfast commitment to national security. Our goal is to address the future of combat with effective systems that deter conflicts and safeguard global safety.
Your Role in Our Mission
As the Principal Controls Engineer, you will be responsible for overseeing the control architecture of Mach’s fixed-wing aircraft. Your expertise will lead the design, implementation, and rigorous validation of flight-critical control laws, ensuring exceptional performance throughout the operational envelope from takeoff to landing.
Key Responsibilities
Define and architect control systems for fixed-wing vehicles, including primary flight control, envelope protection, autothrottle/energy management, and mode logic.
Design and implement control laws that consider actuator limitations, time delays, and sensor noise.
Lead the system identification and aerodynamic modeling processes utilizing wind-tunnel, CFD, and flight-test data; develop precise linearizations.
Create fault-tolerant and reconfiguration strategies, including sensor/actuator fault detection and isolation (FDI), control allocation, and redundancy management.
Oversee verification and validation processes, including Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, Monte Carlo simulations, and establishing flight readiness criteria.
Drive flight-test planning and execution; analyze data logs, tune controllers, and iterate designs safely and efficiently.
Mentor the controls team, set technical standards, conduct design and code reviews, and influence project roadmaps and timelines.

