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Pivotal · 2 months ago

Motor Controls Engineer II - R&D

Palo Alto, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid Level

$132K/yr - $155K/yr

3+ years exp

Pivotal is the leader in the emerging market of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, designing and manufacturing light eVTOL aircraft. They are seeking a highly motivated Motor Controls Engineer to develop, implement, and validate control algorithms for electric motors used in their eVTOL aircraft, ensuring performance under all flight conditions.

AerospaceAir TransportationAutonomous VehiclesManufacturing

Work & Life Balance

No H1B

Responsibilities

Develop and tune torque, speed, and current control algorithms (e.g., Field-Oriented Control, Direct Torque Control) using MATLAB/Simulink, and C/C++

Support selection of control architecture, sensing approach, and inverter strategies based on system performance needs

Collaborate with electrical, firmware, and mechanical engineers to ensure controller integration with hardware and overall propulsion system performance

Perform bench, dynamometer, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing to validate control algorithms

Analyze test and flight data to characterize motor and controller performance, efficiency, and thermal behavior

Design, implement and validate propulsion system failure detection algorithms

Contribute to model development, data analysis, and parameter identification for simulation and control validation

Document design methods, test procedures, and results

Qualification

Motor control algorithmsMATLAB/SimulinkC/C++ programmingPower electronicsEmbedded control systemsTorque control techniquesPWM techniquesAnalytical control theoryTestingDebuggingVersion control (Git)Embedded systemsHigh-level programming languages

Required

3+ years of experience in electric motor control, power electronics, or embedded control systems

Masters or PhD in related engineering discipline (Aerospace, Mechanical, etc)

Proven experience in designing and developing productized motor controls

In-depth understanding of torque control techniques such as slip-based control, field oriented control, direct torque control

Prior experience with flux estimation methods, 3-phase power control, analytical control system theory development and analysis

Knowledge of Field-Oriented Control, flux estimation, PWM techniques, and motor parameter identification

Experience with various PWM schemes such as space vector, discontinuous, and sinusoidal modulation, including data-acquisition methods

System-oriented understanding of thermal, system-level torque and velocity control, voltage DC-link integration, efficiency optimization, and firmware integration for electric drives

Experience testing and debugging embedded control systems in lab or dynamometer environments

Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++ for algorithm development and embedded deployment

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to system-level performance

Knowledge of relevant industry standards, regulations, and safety protocols

Hands-on experience through employment, student teams, co-op, and/or personal projects

Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative start-up environment