Let’s get started
By clicking ‘Next’, I agree to the Terms of Service
and Privacy Policy, and consent to receive emails from Rise
Jobs / Job page
Principal Controls Engineer image - Rise Careers
Job details

Principal Controls Engineer

About Mach Industries

Founded in 2022, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 180 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition.

Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.

The Role

Own the control architecture for Mach’s fixed-wing aircraft. You’ll lead the design, implementation, and validation of flight-critical control laws—spanning takeoff to landing—delivering robust performance across the full envelope.

Key Responsibilities

  • Define control system architecture and requirements for fixed-wing vehicles (primary flight control, envelope protection, autothrottle/energy mgmt, and mode logic).

  • Design and implement control laws accounting for actuator limits, time delays, and sensor noise.

  • Lead system identification and aerodynamic model development from wind-tunnel, CFD, and flight-test data; build accurate linearizations

  • Develop fault-tolerant and reconfiguration strategies (sensor/actuator FDI, control allocation, redundancy mgmt) with graceful degradation.

  • Own verification & validation: SIL/HIL campaigns, Monte Carlo, and flight-readiness criteria; establish performance dashboards.

  • Drive flight-test planning and execution; analyze logs, tune controllers, and iterate safely and quickly.

  • Mentor the controls team, set technical standards, conduct design/code reviews, and influence roadmap and milestones.

Required Qualifications

  • Education: Bachelors in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics

  • Experience: 8+ years designing and fielding flight control systems for fixed-wing aircraft or high-performance UAVs, including flight test.

  • Deep knowledge of flight dynamics, stability/controllability, and actuator/sensor modeling.

  • Proficiency in modern C++ for embedded real-time implementations; strong MATLAB/Python for modeling, ID, and analysis.

  • Demonstrated ownership of verification workflows (SIL/HIL), requirements traceability, and safety reviews.

  • Familiarity with modern software workflows (git, code review, issue tracking) and data/telemetry analysis.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with energy-based control, autothrottle, sideslip/yaw coordination, and advanced control allocation for over-actuated systems

  • Experience integrating with PX4 and ROS 2. Exposure to DO-178C/DO-331/ARP4754A processes or equivalent rigor.

  • Comfort optimizing for resource-constrained processors and hard real-time constraints (latency/jitter budgets, numerics)

Disclosures

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).  Please note that any offer for employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations without sponsorship for an export license.

Mach participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offers may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and training, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most offers and are considered part of Mach’s total compensation package. Mach offers benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development.

Mach is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. If you’d like to defend the American way of life, please reach out!

Mach Industries Glassdoor Company Review
5.0 Glassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star icon
Mach Industries DE&I Review
5.0 Glassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star iconGlassdoor star icon
CEO of Mach Industries
Mach Industries CEO photo
Unknown name
Approve of CEO

Average salary estimate

$190000 / YEARLY (est.)
min
max
$160000K
$220000K

If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.

Similar Jobs
Posted 5 hours ago

Contribute to production planning, tooling, and factory systems as a Manufacturing Engineering Intern at a rapidly scaling defense-tech startup.

Posted 4 hours ago

Mach Industries is looking for a Flight Test Engineering Intern to support flight test planning, operations, and data collection for advanced UAS platforms at its Huntington Beach test facility.

SOKOL GxP Services is hiring a Junior Calibration & Equipment Support Engineer to perform routine calibrations, support equipment qualification, and maintain cGMP-compliant records on a 12-month contract.

ngc Hybrid United States-California-San Diego
Posted 16 hours ago

Lead the Triton MQ-4C cyber systems engineering team at Northrop Grumman to drive cybersecurity integration, vulnerability remediation, and compliance across the system lifecycle.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 12 hours ago

Experienced construction management professionals are needed to serve as Engineer-in-Charge for DDC infrastructure projects, overseeing construction, inspections, contract administration, and project closeout.

Photo of the Rise User
NVIDIA Hybrid US, CA, Santa Clara
Posted 6 hours ago
Customer-Centric
Mission Driven
Inclusive & Diverse
Rise from Within
Diversity of Opinions
Work/Life Harmony
Growth & Learning
Transparent & Candid
Medical Insurance
Paid Time-Off
Maternity Leave
Mental Health Resources
Equity
Child Care stipend
Paternity Leave
WFH Reimbursements
Flex-Friendly
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
401K Matching
Military leave

Contribute to next-generation GPU performance by analyzing systems, debugging hardware/software interactions, and building automation tools as a Performance Engineer at NVIDIA.

Photo of the Rise User

Sargent & Lundy is hiring a Transmission Line Engineer 3 to perform design, analysis, and PLS-CADD modeling for 69–765 kV transmission lines in a hybrid Peachtree Corners role.

Lead ALO’s global distribution engineering strategy and multi-site engineering teams to standardize, automate, and optimize fulfillment and retail backroom operations for scale.

Photo of the Rise User
Teklysium Inc Hybrid VA-267, Tysons, VA, USA
Posted 15 hours ago

Mechanical Design Engineer to design and prototype plasmonics-enabled communications and sensing platforms for harsh environments at a fast-growing dual-use company.

Photo of the Rise User
Saronic Hybrid Austin, Texas
Posted 2 hours ago

Saronic Technologies seeks a hands-on Tooling Engineer to design, build, and validate manufacturing and assembly tooling that supports full-rate production of its autonomous maritime systems.

Photo of the Rise User
AbbVie Hybrid North Chicago, IL
Posted 5 hours ago

Scientific engineer role at AbbVie's North Chicago site focused on late-stage process development, scale-up and commercialization of small-molecule APIs, ADCs and natural products.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 3 hours ago

Lead technical architecture and cross-disciplinary teams to deliver scalable, secure IoT-enabled water products spanning firmware, mobile, and cloud platforms.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 2 hours ago
Customer-Centric
Mission Driven
Inclusive & Diverse
Rise from Within
Diversity of Opinions
Work/Life Harmony
Growth & Learning
Transparent & Candid
Medical Insurance
Paid Time-Off
Maternity Leave
Mental Health Resources
Equity
Child Care stipend
Paternity Leave
WFH Reimbursements
Flex-Friendly
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
401K Matching
Military leave

NVIDIA seeks an experienced Director of SoC IP RTL to lead RTL/IP teams and deliver high-performance, production-ready custom silicon across cloud, networking and ML product lines.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 15 hours ago

SEGULA Technologies seeks an experienced Lead Station Designer to lead workstation layout, tooling integration, and launch-readiness activities for a major automotive assembly program.

Posted 12 hours ago

Provide field installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting for ZEISS semiconductor and FIB-SEM systems while collaborating with factory experts and supporting customers across the U.S. and internationally.

MATCH
Calculating your matching score...
FUNDING
DEPARTMENTS
SENIORITY LEVEL REQUIREMENT
TEAM SIZE
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time, onsite
DATE POSTED
October 15, 2025
Risa star 🔮 Hi, I'm Risa! Your AI
Career Copilot
Want to see a list of jobs tailored to
you, just ask me below!