HYFIX — Santa Clara, CA
UAV Flight Control Engineer- (PX4 / ArduPilot & Control Systems)
Santa Clara, CA | In-Person | Full-Time | Relocation not offered
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 softwareDefine architecture standards and embedded development workflowsMentor and grow embedded engineering talentOwn system-level reliability, safety, and flight performanceThis 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 firmwareIntegration 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 tuningHardware bring-up and board-level debuggingCommunication 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 loopsOptimize deterministic timing performance in real-time systemsCollaborate closely with electrical and mechanical engineers on system integrationLead code reviews and establish embedded development best practicesSupport flight testing, log analysis, and performance optimizationDrive root-cause analysis for in-flight anomaliesEstablish 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 field5+years Industry experience working on UAV, robotics, or real- time control systemsStrong proficiency in C/C++Deep understanding of control theory and feedback systemsExperience with real-time operating systemsSensor fusion expertise (e.g., Kalman filtering)Experience with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART communication busesARM Cortex-M microcontroller experienceHardware-level debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyzer)
Preferred Qualifications
Contributions to PX4 or ArduPilot codebasesExperience with motor control and ESC integrationFamiliarity with MAVLink protocolExperience in safety-critical systemsBackground in aerospace or advanced roboticsExperience leading small engineering teams
What Success Looks Like
Stable, repeatable, high-performance flight behaviorClean, maintainable firmware architectureReduced flight-test iteration cyclesClear documentation and scalable codebase
Benefits
401(k)Health, Dental & Vision InsurancePaid Time OffProfessional Development Assistance
How to Apply
We’d love to hear from you! Send your resume and a short cover letter to recruiting@hyfix.ai