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Red Cat Holdings · 2 weeks ago

Controls Engineering Manager

Carson, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

$130K/yr - $175K/yr

5+ years exp

Red Cat Holdings is seeking a Controls Engineering Manager who will serve as both a hands-on contributor and a team leader. This role involves designing control algorithms for gimbal systems and VTOL platforms while building out the controls team and collaborating with cross-functional teams to bring innovative products to market.

BlockchainDrone ManagementLogisticsSaaSSupply Chain Management

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Architect and validate flight control loops (attitude, position, transition modes) for multirotor/VTOL vehicles

Establish and enforce modern C++ coding standards, unit-testing frameworks, and continuous-integration workflows for real-time systems

Partner with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to define interfaces, run hardware-in-the-loop tests, and iterate control performance

Develop hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test benches; analyze performance data and drive tuning cycles

Assist in the end-to-end creation of new gimbal products, focusing on core drive motor architecture and sensor system design and integration

Develop a simulation environment for the Overload product to support early testing and iteration

Begin contributing to the core control algorithms, with a focus on stability, responsiveness, and system integration

Review and refine the Overwatch control loop, identifying areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes

Analyze the PX4 control stack to understand existing architecture and challenges relevant to our objectives

Build a dedicated simulation environment for Overwatch to accelerate development and validation of new control strategies

Qualification

Control Systems ExpertiseEmbedded Robotics BackgroundC++ SkillsSensor Integration ExpertiseGeometry & TransformationsFrame-Level ExpertiseLeadership & Project OwnershipPX4 Flight StackSimulation & URDFHardware DebuggingRTOS Proficiency

Required

Control Systems Expertise: 5+ years designing and implementing control algorithms for gimbals, stabilizers, or aerial vehicles

Embedded Robotics Background: Proven experience shipping embedded robotics products in C++ on microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M, STM32, etc.)

Strong C++ Skills: Deep understanding of modern C++ (14/17/20), real-time constraints, memory management, and multithreading

Geometry & Transformations: Solid grasp of 3D kinematics, coordinate frames, quaternions, and homogeneous transforms

Frame-Level Expertise: Experience in one or more of attitude control, sensor fusion, target tracking or other complex frame-transformation problems, perception, and related system performance metrics

Sensor Integration Expertise: Hands-on experience integrating feedback sensors—such as IMUs, encoders, and related sensing hardware—into drive-system control loops

Leadership & Project Ownership: 1+ year(s) leadership experience as a technical lead—mentoring peers, driving design reviews, and owning projects end-to-end from requirements through delivery