Hydraulic Controls Engineer

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop hydraulic control systems for mobile agricultural equipment
• Develop control logic for hydraulic functions including steering, chute control, conveyor control, mixer discharge, suspension, and auxiliary hydraulic functions
• Tune PID control loops using sensor feedback from cylinders, pressure sensors, flow sensors, position sensors, and other system inputs
• Select and integrate hydraulic components including pumps, motors, valves, manifolds, cylinders, sensors, and hose assemblies
• Program and support mobile controllers such as IFM, Danfoss, Parker, or similar platforms
• Work with CAN bus systems, including J1939, CANopen, and custom CAN messaging
• Integrate hydraulic controls with vehicle control systems, autonomy computers, safety controllers, and operator interfaces
• Develop test procedures for hydraulic performance, safety validation, and functional verification
• Troubleshoot hydraulic and electrical control issues in the shop and in field environments
• Support commissioning, calibration, and validation of prototype and production vehicles
• Create and maintain hydraulic schematics, wiring diagrams, control documentation, and test reports
• Work closely with mechanical, electrical, software, and field operations teams
• Support functional safety efforts related to hydraulic control, emergency stop behavior, safe-state behavior, and fault handling
• Auxiliary tasks include assisting with supplier communication, component selection, and technical reviews

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field; equivalent hands-on experience may be considered
• Experience with mobile hydraulic systems, electro-hydraulic controls, or off-highway equipment
• Understanding of hydraulic pumps, motors, valves, cylinders, accumulators, filters, relief valves, and manifolds
• Experience with proportional valves, PWM outputs, analog inputs, digital inputs, and sensor-based control
• Ability to read and create hydraulic schematics and electrical wiring diagrams
• Experience with CAN bus diagnostics and communication tools
• Strong troubleshooting skills for hydraulic, electrical, and control system issues
• Ability to work hands-on with equipment in a shop, test yard, and field environment
• Strong documentation and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CODESYS, IFM controllers, Danfoss PLUS+1, Parker IQAN, or similar mobile control platforms
• Experience with PID tuning for hydraulic position, speed, pressure, or flow control
• Experience with J1939, CANopen, DBC files, and CAN diagnostic tools such as Kvaser CANking, Vector CANalyzer, PCAN, or similar tools
• Familiarity with functional safety standards such as ISO 18497, ISO 25119, or ISO 26262
• Experience with hydraulic drive systems, steering systems, conveyor systems, mixer systems, or feed delivery equipment
• Familiarity with pressure sensors, position sensors, rotary sensors, flow sensors, and temperature sensors
• Familiarity with 12 VDC and 24 VDC mobile electrical systems
• Experience supporting prototype builds, field testing, and production readiness