UAV Flight Control Engineer- (PX4 / ArduPilot & Control Systems)

UAV Flight Control Engineer- (PX4 / ArduPilot & Control Systems) Santa Clara, CA | In-Person | Full-Time | Relocation not offered Reports to: Head of Robotics About HYFIX 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. Role Overview 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/ArduPilot)—not general embedded development. Leadership & Ownership ·      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. What You Will Own ·      Architecture and development of flight controller firmware ·      Integration and customization of autopilot frameworks (PX4, ArduPilot) ·      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 Key Responsibilities ·      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 What You Bring ·      Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field ·      7+ years of embedded systems development experience ·      3+ years 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 ·      Sensor fusion expertise (e.g., Kalman filtering) ·      Experience with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART communication buses ·      ARM Cortex-M microcontroller experience ·      Hardware-level debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyzer) Preferred Qualifications ·      Contributions to PX4 or ArduPilot 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 What Success Looks Like ·      Stable, repeatable, high-performance flight behavior ·      Clean, maintainable firmware architecture ·      Reduced flight-test iteration cycles ·      Clear documentation and scalable codebase Benefits ·      401(k) ·      Health, Dental & Vision Insurance ·      Paid Time Off ·      Professional Development Assistance How to Apply We’d love to hear from you! Send your resume and a short cover letter to recruiting@hyfix.ai Show more Show less