Controls Engineer

Responsibilities

• Design and implement motor control systems for electrically actuated valves and pumps
• Develop automated sequences for propellant fill, drain, vent, and conditioning operations
• Architect and implement closed-loop control for fluid system parameters
• Select and integrate actuators, motors, encoders, and sensors
• Design control electronics hardware or define requirements for electrical engineering partners
• Develop embedded firmware and real-time control software
• Perform system modeling and simulation to validate control strategies
• Define and execute hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and system-level test campaigns
• Develop fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) logic
• Support propulsion hot-fire testing and ground system commissioning
• Investigate anomalies and analyze telemetry data

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering field
• 3+ years of experience in controls engineering, mechatronics, or automation
• Experience with motor control (BLDC, stepper, or brushed)
• Experience with PID control loops, Kalman filtering, or feedforward control
• Proficiency in embedded programming (C/C++)
• Experience developing automated sequences or state machines
• Hands-on experience integrating sensors, actuators, and control electronics

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with PLC/PAC programming
• Knowledge of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or LabVIEW
• Experience designing motor drives for harsh environments
• Familiarity with aerospace communication protocols (CAN, RS-422, EtherCAT, SpaceWire)
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing
• Understanding of fluid system physics
• Experience with launch vehicle or spacecraft fluid system controls
• Familiarity with cryogenic fluid handling

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and 10 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance
• Daily lunch and fully stocked kitchen

About the Company

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities, from powering on-orbit compute to transmitting energy via infrared lasers.