Lead UAV Flight Control Engineer

Santa Clara, CA | In-Person | Full-Time | Relocation not offered

HYFIX is building pioneering Spatial AI and autonomous systems to shape the future of intelligent technology. We are a global, forward-thinking team solving complex engineering challenges and delivering innovative, real-world autonomous solutions.

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Embedded / Flight Control Engineer to own the architecture, performance, and reliability of our drone flight control systems. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role responsible for real‑time firmware, flight stabilization, sensor fusion, and full-stack UAV integration.

This role is focused specifically on flight control systems, control loop tuning, and autopilot frameworks (PX4/Ardu Pilot)—not general embedded development.

• Serve as the technical authority for flight software
• Define architecture standards and embedded development workflows
• Mentor and grow embedded engineering talent
• Own system-level reliability, safety, and flight performance

This role defines the core intelligence that keeps our aircraft stable, responsive, and safe under real-world operating conditions.

• Architecture and development of flight controller firmware
• Integration and customization of autopilot frameworks (PX4, Ardu Pilot)
• Real-time control systems (RTOS or bare-metal)
• Sensor fusion (IMU, GPS, magnetometer, barometer)
• Flight stabilization and PID control loop tuning
• Hardware bring-up and board-level debugging
• Communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, MAVLink)
• System-level safety, redundancy, and failsafe logic

• Design, implement, and maintain high-reliability embedded firmware in C/C++
• Develop and tune attitude, rate, and position control loops
• Optimize deterministic timing performance in real-time systems
• Collaborate closely with electrical and mechanical engineers on system integration
• Lead code reviews and establish embedded development best practices
• Support flight testing, log analysis, and performance optimization
• Drive root-cause analysis for in‑flight anomalies
• Establish scalable firmware architecture from prototype through production

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 5+years Industry experience working on UAV, robotics, or real‑time control systems
• Strong proficiency in C/C++
• Deep understanding of control theory and feedback systems
• Experience with real‑time operating systems
• Experience with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART communication buses
• Hardware‑level debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyzer)

• Contributions to PX4 or Ardu Pilot codebases
• Experience with motor control and ESC integration
• Familiarity with MAVLink protocol
• Experience in safety‑critical systems
• Background in aerospace or advanced robotics
• Experience leading small engineering teams

• Stable, repeatable, high-performance flight behavior
• Reduced flight‑test iteration cycles
• Clear documentation and scalable codebase
• 401(k)
• Paid Time Off
• Professional Development Assistance