Systems Engineer

Position: Staff Systems Engineer
Job Description:

14000 Technology Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA

Full-time

Smart people.

Smart ideas.

Smart choice.

A thriving environment for learning, innovation and growth.

Why do so many people join MTS Systems Corporation and stay for a career? Because this is a place where you get to apply your creativity, work with smart people on fascinating projects, and make a positive impact on people's lives. It is a place where you can learn, innovate and grow professionally.

Transforming what's possible with cars, aircraft, bridges, wind turbines and space-age materials - this is work we dream about as kids. At MTS, it's a rewarding career path for talented individuals who are willing to work hard, think hard, and commit to solving complex and critical challenges for our customers around the world, many of whom are leaders in their respective industries.

By joining MTS, you'll have access to the latest tools and technologies, along with the support of colleagues who are passionate about their work. You'll discover a dynamic culture of continuous improvement that extends to our people, one that offers numerous ways to expand your knowledge and advance your career. And because we are a global company, your work may also include world travel.

About the Role

We are seeking a Staff Systems Engineer with broad expertise spanning analog electrical hardware design, real-time embedded firmware, digital signal processing, and motor drive systems. This role operates at the intersection of precision instrumentation, closed-loop controls, and power electronics - including high performance inverter design to drive permanent magnet motors in motorsports applications.

This is a senior individual contributor role with broad technical ownership. You will shape architecture, lead design reviews, and drive solutions in areas where hardware and software are deeply intertwined - while mentoring the engineers around you.

Major Areas of Accountability

Signal Processing & Instrumentation:

* Design and validate sensor signal conditioning chains for LVDTs, strain gauges, load cells, and piezoelectric/IEPE accelerometers

* Apply DSP techniques - filtering (FIR/IIR), FFT/PSD/FRF analysis, and sampling strategies - to ensure signal integrity across the analog-digital boundary

* Define ADC requirements (resolution, dynamic range, latency) from application needs; troubleshoot signal quality issues including ground loops, EMI, and cabling

Real-Time Systems & Control:

* Design hard real-time firmware with deterministic scheduling, interrupt management, and multi-rate task structures

* Architect and implement control algorithms (PID variants, cascade, feed forward, gain scheduling) for precision actuator/sensor systems

* Develop system identification procedures, auto-tuning workflows, and simulation models (Simulink, Python) to validate algorithms before firmware deployment

Firmware & Embedded Software:

* Write production-quality embedded C/C++ for real-time targets (ARM Cortex-R/M, DSP cores, Intel platforms)

* Integrate peripherals (SPI, I2C, DMA, ADC/DAC) and design firmware architectures that cleanly separate real-time control, communications, and configuration layers

* Develop HALs/BSPs for new hardware platforms; use standard debug tools (JTAG, trace, logic analyzers) to verify real-time performance

Industrial Communications:

* Architect and implement Ether

CAT-based communication for distributed I/O systems, including object dictionary design, PDO mapping, and slave stack development

* Working knowledge of complementary protocols:
Modbus, CANopen, CAN FD

Hardware Design & PCB Architecture:

* Lead hardware architecture definition and component trade studies for new platforms

* Apply mixed-signal PCB design principles: signal partitioning, grounding, power planes, thermal management, and controlled impedance

* Select components with attention to lifecycle, sourcing risk, industrial temperature ratings, and obsolescence; support design reviews with awareness of CE, UL, and EU CRA requirements

Permanent Magnet Motor Inverter Design:

* Design inverter hardware for motors across low-voltage (12-48V) and high-voltage (400-800V) ranges, including gate drive…