Sr. Power Electronics Engineer [Controls and simulation] presso Odys Aviation

About Odys

Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world's busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally.

To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We’re deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in late 2025 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract.

We’re a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we’ve been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives.

Responsibilities

• Design & develop control algorithms for high-voltage (400–800 VDC) drives and converters: PMSM motor/generator control, active rectifiers, and DC/DC converters for aircraft propulsion.

• Build and maintain high-fidelity plant models (machines, inverters, DC-link, sensors) in MATLAB/Simulink and PLECS/PSIM; perform parameter identification and correlate models to bench data.

• Architect and tune discrete-time current/voltage/speed loops (FOC with MTPA/MTPV and flux-weakening), SVPWM/DPWM, PLL/DC-link control, and digital filters with documented stability margins.

• Develop estimators and sensorless strategies for rotor position, flux, and torque from start-up through high-speed operation.

• Stand up MIL/SIL/HIL environments (Typhoon HIL/OPAL-RT/Speedgoat) and propulsion iron-bird rigs; create automated regression and fault-injection tests; analyze results and close gaps.

• Implement production-quality embedded controls with Embedded Coder or C/C++ on TI C2000 (or similar), including diagnostics, FDIR, and safe-state behavior; support dyno/rig bring-up and tuning.

• Define and manage interfaces with flight computer, BMS, and vehicle networks (CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet); own ICDs and real-time comms for propulsion/energy-management functions.

• Generate clear engineering artifacts—control design specs, calibration/tuning guides, test plans/reports—aligned to aerospace development practices (ARP4754B/DO-160).

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Controls, Power Electronics, or related field (BS with 7+ years relevant experience considered).

• 5+ years designing, simulating, and validating motor-drive/converter controls for high-power systems.

• Deep expertise in PMSM control: d-q transforms, discrete control design, SVPWM/DPWM, current-loop bandwidth selection, flux-weakening, and MTPA/MTPV.

• Hands-on modeling skills in MATLAB/Simulink (Embedded Coder) and PLECS/PSIM; model-to-hardware correlation.

• Experience with HIL toolchains and test automation (Typhoon/OPAL-RT/Speedgoat; Python/MATLAB scripting; version control/CI for models and code).

• Proven ability to take algorithms from model to real-time DSP implementation and debug on hardware with rigorous documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Sensorless control across the full speed range (SMO/EKF/HF injection) and robust low-speed start-up strategies.

• Generator-mode and active-rectifier control for high-speed machines; DC-link ripple control and EMI-aware modulation for SiC stages (>20–40 kHz).

• Multi-three-phase machines: PWM synchronization, circulating-current mitigation, and torque-ripple minimization.

• Exposure to safety-critical development and verification (ARP4754B/DO-160; familiarity with DO-178C/DO-254, configuration management, and iron-bird/flight-test workflows).

• Integration experience with flight controls and BMS over CAN/CAN-FD/Ethernet (UAV platforms a plus).

• Track record shipping production-ready controls and simulations in fast, cross-functional hardware programs.