Senior Control Systems Engineer

Vector Controls Inc is seeking a Senior Control Systems Engineer to deliver control solutions for marine propulsion products. The role is hands-on, combining modeling, simulation, algorithm development, and validation through laboratory testing and sea trials. Work onsite in Newton, MA with a compensation range of $150,000 - $170,000 per year, supported by benefits including 401(k), health and dental insurance, paid time off, and a retirement plan.

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 using 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.
• Partner with embedded software engineers to transition control algorithms into production firmware.
• Implement classical and modern control algorithms, including PID, feedforward, gain scheduling, state-space, observer-based methods, and other techniques suited to the application.
• Support hardware integration, laboratory testing, system tuning, and sea trials.
• Create 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 improve system behavior and reliability over time.
• Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers across the product development lifecycle.
• Produce engineering documentation including design analyses, technical specifications, validation reports, and interface documentation.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline.
• 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.
• Comfort working with hardware during system integration, testing, and validation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Technologies

• MATLAB / Simulink
• Python
• C/C++
• PID, feedforward, gain scheduling, state-space, observer-based
• Kalman filtering
• CAN, CANopen, J1939, NMEA 2000
• Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, data acquisition equipment

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. with a focus on Controls, Dynamic Systems, Robotics, or a related field is highly desirable.

Preferred Technical Experience

• 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
• Experience implementing or supporting control algorithms in embedded systems is a plus
• 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

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan