Jobs › Companies › Odys Aviation › Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer

About this Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer role at Odys Aviation

Odys Aviation · Hybrid · Long Beach CA

About Odys

At Odys, we’re mobilizing power, with Hybrid Power Systems developed for aerospace and in-demand everywhere. It’s the kind of mission diversity that demands a fresh way of thinking.

We began with an early bet on hybrid, when the mobility industry was focused on batteries. We designed, tested, and validated our first 1 MW high-speed generator in 12 months. And then we pushed further, developing systems with greater power density in less time. Today, our Hybrid Power Systems offer outputs ranging from 20 kW to 4 MW, with applications in the air or on the ground.

One of those applications is Laila, an unmanned drone designed for critical logistics and defense missions. With its 100 kW-class onboard Hybrid Power System, Laila can support medical cold-chain transport or serve as an aerial platform for counter-UAS measures.

The market interest has been overwhelming: Over 30 inbound requests from leading US and global manufacturers, and 14+ DoD contracts.

Our team comes from deep tech and aerospace, with backgrounds spanning drone and aircraft development, high-volume production, and electrified mobility.

We operate with urgency and ownership at every level. We validated high-speed generator technology faster than our peers, not because we skipped steps, but because we've been doing this long enough to know which ones matter most.

Creating the future of power, in the air and on the ground, is a challenge we’ve been training our entire lives for. If that sounds like you, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

 

About the Role

Odys Aviation is at the forefront of developing hybrid-electric aircraft to enable sustainable regional air travel. As the Staff Propulsion Controls & Software Engineer, you will be responsible for the controls, embedded software, and simulation infrastructure supporting our SiC-based propulsion power electronics for both the Laila (UAV) and Alta (Hybrid-electric VTOL) programs.

You'll own the controls and embedded software for the propulsion power electronics on both Laila(UAV) and Alta (hybrid-electric VTOL) - the motor drives, active rectifiers, DC/DC converters, and the Hybrid System Controller that coordinates them. Power electronics hardware is designed by peer engineers; your job is to make their systems perform - in simulation, on the bench, and in flight.

You'll set the direction for how we model, verify, and ship this stack: building high-fidelity simulation models, standing up MIL/SIL/HIL infrastructure, and delivering production firmware that holds up to aerospace certification and real flight conditions. This is a high-ownership, individual-contributor role with the latitude to shape how the controls and simulation function works as the team scales.

Responsibilities

  • Control Algorithms

    • Design, implement, and tune discrete-time control loops for PMSM drives, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters - FOC with MTPA/MTPV, flux-weakening, sensorless observers, SVPWM/DPWM, PLLs, and digital filters.

    • Develop EMI-aware modulation and switching-frequency strategies for SiC stages (20-40+ kHz), managing DC-link ripple, torque ripple, and acoustic constraints in software.

  • Hybrid System Controller (HSC)

    • Build the supervisory power-split and energy-management logic that coordinates the turbogenerator, battery, DC bus, and propulsion inverters.

    • Own mode transitions, startup/shutdown sequencing, and powertrain-level fault arbitration.

  • Modeling & Simulation

    • Build and maintain high-fidelity propulsion models (machines, SiC inverters/rectifiers, DC-link, batteries, propulsors, sensors) in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS.

    • Identify parameters from bench and rig data and resolve model-vs-test discrepancies.

    • Stand up and run MIL/SIL/HIL environments (Typhoon HIL, OPAL-RT, Speedgoat), including automated regression and fault-injection suites with Git-based CI for real-time model releases.

  • Firmware & Integration

    • Take algorithms from model to target via Embedded Coder or hand-written C/C++ on DSP platforms (TI C2000, ARM Cortex-R/M, or similar) - fixed-point implementation, FDIR, diagnostics, and safe-state behavior.

    • Define real-time comms and ICDs for CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet; support dyno and iron-bird integration and correlate simulation with hardware performance.

  • Systems & Compliance

    • Translate system architecture into control specs, simulation studies, and firmware requirements; flag implementation risk to the systems architect early.

    • Produce design specs, modeling reports, calibration guides, and verification evidence aligned to DO-178C, DO-254, and ARP4754B; help standardize templates and review processes for the controls/sim workflow as we grow.

 

Requirements

  • 8+ years developing controls and embedded software for high-power motor drives or power converters.

  • Deep, hands-on expertise in PMSM control: d-q theory, FOC, SVPWM/DPWM, sensorless observers, flux-weakening, and fault detection.

  • Working knowledge of SiC MOSFET-based stages (switching behavior, gate-driver interaction, dead-time effects, HV protection) sufficient to design control/protection logic with device physics in mind.

  • Fluency in MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, and PLECS for powertrain modeling.

  • Production embedded experience: Embedded Coder or hand-coded C/C++ on DSPs, fixed-point arithmetic, real-time scheduling, on-target debugging.

  • A track record of leading a controls or embedded subsystem from concept to flight/field-ready.

  • MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or Controls preferred; candidates with a BS and significant relevant experience will also be considered.

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Aerospace or eVTOL powertrain experience, with familiarity in FAA/EASA certification.

  • DO-178C experience in a regulated environment, plus exposure to DO-254, ARP4754B, FMEA/FTA, and requirements traceability.

  • Hands-on time with Typhoon, OPAL-RT, or Speedgoat, and Python/MATLAB test automation with Git-based CI.

  • Production sensorless control, wide-range flux-weakening, ride-through, or limp-mode strategies in flight or field applications.

  • Generator-mode/active-rectifier control for high-speed machines, including multi-three-phase PWM sync and circulating-current mitigation.

  • BMS/flight-control integration over CAN, CAN-FD, or Ethernet, with TSN/PTP time-sync familiarity.

  • SPICE experience for device-level analysis.

 
Ready to apply to Odys Aviation?
Apply to Odys Aviation

How this Software Engineer salary compares

This role pays $185,000/yr — in line with the typical range for Software Engineer roles.

$76,500 median $185,000 $227,935

Typical range $145,500–$213,200/yr, from 52 comparable Software Engineer listings on JobsRadar (pay annualized to USD). See Software Engineer salary insights →

Similar jobs

TA
Software Engineer (II-III), Full Stack
True Anomaly
⚡ Apply early Denver, CO; Long Beach, CA Onsite
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 10h ago
Rocket Lab Corporation
Software Engineer II - Production Automation
Rocket Lab Corporation
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, CA Onsite $102,400–$128,000
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 14h ago
Vast
Senior Flight Software Engineer
Vast
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, California, United... Onsite $159,000–$220,000
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 1d ago
Vast
Staff Flight Software Engineer
Vast
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, California, United... Onsite $188,600–$267,700
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 2d ago
Vast
Avionics Test Software Engineer
Vast
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, California, United... Onsite $135,300–$226,980
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 2d ago
Relativity Space
Software Development Engineer in Test I
Relativity Space
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, California, United... Onsite $102,000–$154,000
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 2d ago
Rocket Lab Corporation
Flight Software Engineer II
Rocket Lab Corporation
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, CA Onsite $145,000–$166,000
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 2d ago
Relativity Space
AI Software Engineer I
Relativity Space
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, California, United... Onsite $115,000–$173,000
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 2d ago
TA
CNC Machinist & Programmer
True Anomaly
⚡ Apply early Long Beach, CA Onsite $55,120–$74,880
● New 👁 Seen ✓ Applied 6d ago

Sign up for suggestions tailored to the jobs you open and the searches you save.

More jobs at Odys Aviation

See all jobs at Odys Aviation →

Apply now
🤖

Whoa — hold up

JobsRadar was built for real people having a rough time in their job search — not for automated requests. You're clicking way too fast and you're now temporarily blocked.

Come back later. If you're genuinely job hunting, we've got your back — just act like a human.

Catch your next role the second it’s posted.

Create a free account and we’ll watch the boards for you — the instant a job matches your search, it lands in your inbox or Telegram. No digging, no refreshing.

Create free account

Free forever · takes 30 seconds · already have one?

Get an edge on your job hunt.

Join our Telegram channel for the stuff that helps you land the role — salary benchmarks, the weekly market pulse, and new-feature drops. No spam, just signal.

Join the channel — it's free