Control Engineer

Location: Bloomfield, CT, transitioning to Suffield, CT

First Search is partnering with Liquid Piston to hire a Controls Engineer to join its growing engineering team. Liquid Piston is an advanced propulsion technology company developing compact, high-efficiency rotary engines and power systems for aerospace, defense, and commercial applications. This is an opportunity to work on a fundamentally different engine architecture and help develop the controls that make next-generation propulsion and power systems operate.

This is not a role focused solely on calibration or tuning existing systems. We’re looking for an engineer who can understand a controls problem at the system level, determine the root cause, develop a solution, implement it, and validate the results on real hardware.

• Develop, implement, and troubleshoot control strategies for Liquid Piston engines, gensets, and power systems
• Develop and modify embedded control software and firmware
• Develop control logic for engine starting, speed control, load management, protection, and shutdown
• Develop and improve control algorithms and state machines
• Analyze engine and system behavior using test data, instrumentation, and controls diagnostics
• Troubleshoot controls issues directly on test hardware and identify root causes
• Integrate sensors, actuators, ECUs, and other controls hardware
• Implement firmware updates and validate changes through hands-on testing
• Participate in engine and genset testing in the test environment
• Support calibration and optimization as part of broader controls and system development
• Work closely with electrical, mechanical, engine performance, and test engineers as well as technicians
• Document controls strategies, software changes, test results, and engineering decisions
• Help improve controls development and testing processes as Liquid Piston continues to advance its technology

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of experience in controls engineering, embedded systems, engine controls, automotive controls, aerospace controls, robotics, or a related area
• Experience developing or modifying embedded control software
• Strong understanding of controls systems and feedback control concepts
• Experience working with sensors, actuators, ECUs, or similar controls hardware
• Experience troubleshooting controls issues using test data and system-level diagnostics
• Ability to read and understand electrical schematics and system-level diagrams
• Experience working directly with physical hardware and test equipment
• Strong analytical and hands-on problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment where not every problem has an established solution