Principal Engineer - Controls, Drive By-Wire

Your Impact

Responsible for advanced vehicle system controls development, verification and validation, testing, and production implementation. Design, develop, and refine vehicle motion control related strategies. Develop and implement control algorithms using virtual simulation environments, modeling tools, and Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) simulation platforms, transitioning validated strategies to vehicle testing and production. Collaborate with Systems Engineering to define and document system and software requirements that align with program objectives and customer needs. Work with internal project teams and external vendors on development efforts. Support project planning activities by contributing to feasibility assessments, resource estimates, budget development, project schedules, and technical risk evaluations. Provide technical leadership and engineering expertise to product design and development teams throughout the product lifecycle. Participate in functional safety activities, including hazard analysis and risk assessment, and develop software in accordance with applicable safety‑critical standards and best practices. Investigate and resolve complex system integration and performance issues through root‑cause analysis and corrective action development. Develop comprehensive verification and validation plans, execute testing activities, and analyze results to ensure control system robustness, stability, reliability, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Advanced vehicle system controls development, verification, validation, testing, and production implementation.
• Design, develop, and refine vehicle motion‑control strategies.
• Develop and implement control algorithms using virtual simulation, modeling tools, and HIL platforms; transition validated strategies to vehicle testing and production.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering to define and document system and software requirements.
• Work with internal project teams and external vendors on development efforts.
• Support project planning by contributing to feasibility assessments, resource estimates, budget development, schedules, and technical risk evaluations.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering expertise throughout the product lifecycle.
• Participate in functional safety activities, including hazard analysis, risk assessment, and development of safety‑critical software.
• Investigate and resolve complex system integration and performance issues via root‑cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Develop and execute verification and validation plans; analyze results to ensure control‑system robustness, stability, reliability, and performance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 5+ years related work experience, or master’s degree in engineering and 3+ years related work experience.
• Experience developing model‑based software using MATLAB/Simulink.
• Knowledge of classical control theory, optimal controls, adaptive controls, model predictive controls, and state‑space modeling.
• Experience developing embedded controls.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, control theory, and physics‑based control algorithm development.
• Experience developing vehicle‑dynamic features such as ABS, ESC, hill‑hold assist, adaptive cruise control, robotic motion control, or similar advanced vehicle control systems.
• Experience working with vehicle network protocols such as CAN, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet.
• Familiarity with model‑based development and validation environments, including SIL, HIL, and vehicle validation environments.

Standout Qualifications

• Proficiency with tools such as Vector CANalyzer, dSPACE TargetLink, and dSPACE ControlDesk.
• Experience in the automotive, commercial vehicle, off‑highway, or heavy‑equipment industries.
• Familiarity with applicable ISO and SAE standards related to vehicle systems, controls, communications, and software development.
• Experience with functional safety standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61508, or MIL‑STD 882.
• Experience developing engineering tools, automation scripts, or data‑analysis applications using Python.
• Understanding of model‑based development workflows, software verification and validation, and control‑system calibration.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts across software, hardware, systems, functional safety, and supplier teams.

Core Competencies

• Internal Contacts – communication of information (including sensitive or confidential) and gathering factual data across departments.
• External Contacts – limited interaction to gather information, answer queries, or request assistance.
• Communication Skills – reading, writing, and comprehending instructions, memos, safety rules, technical procedures, and regulatory documents; producing routine reports and delivering presentations.
• Decision‑Making – makes significant departmental decisions with limited guidance; authority over resource allocation.
• Complexity, Judgment & Problem Solving – plans and performs work amid constantly changing problems; requires considerable judgment, initiative, and ingenuity where precedents are scarce.
• Supervisory/Managerial – provides general instruction, scheduling, and review of work performed by peers; acts as “lead worker.”

Working Conditions

• Physical Demands:
  • Frequent: Standing, walking/running, sitting, reaching, hearing, talking, visual tasks, typing.
  • Occasional: Driving