Control Systems EngineerArchangel

Are you an experienced Control Systems Engineer with a background in aerospace looking to venture into the realms for Laser Communication?

Join us at Archangel Lightworks, and you will be working with a fun, experienced, and forward-thinking space engineering team to deliver transformative free-space lasercom solutions to help solve some of Earth’s most critical problems, from economic inclusion to climate change. But that’s not all! We work extensively with aerospace primes, ESA, space agencies and specialist research partners which will provide you with exposure to cutting-edge technologies and exciting challenges, all in a fast-paced, supportive startup environment. You will be an integral part of a growing team which has already won international prizes and awards including having completed the Catalyst Accelerator which is backed by the US Air Force, Space Force and Microsoft.

How you will make an impact:

As Control Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for the development the pointing, acquisition and tracking systems that underpin high performance lasercom. You will work closely with the lead control systems engineer, mechanical engineers and optical engineers to deliver high performance pointing systems. Your responsibilities will include:

• Control System Design: Develop and design control systems algorithms and strategies to ensure the optimal performance of the free-space laser communication systems. This may involve the use of classical, modern, or adaptive control techniques.
• Modeling and Simulation: Develop mathematical models of platforms, components and control systems. Use these models to simulate and analyze the performance of the overall system under various operating conditions.
• Embedded Implementation: Design and implement the control algorithms and strategies on a real-time embedded platform to ensure that the control system can execute efficiently and meet the required performance objectives.
• Testing and Validation: Design, conduct, and analyze tests of the control system and its components, both from component characterization to overall laser communication system, to validate performance and ensure compliance with requirements.

Must have requirements:

• Strong understanding of control systems theory, including linear and nonlinear control techniques, system modeling, stability analysis, and state estimation.
• Substantial control system simulation and modelling experience in Simulink and MATLAB
• Practical experience implementing and testing real time control systems which interface with sensors and actuators.
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used for control systems implementation, such as C, C++, Python.

Nice to have requirements:

You don’t need these to apply, but please highlight if you have any of them to help your application stand out:

• Real-Time Control Systems: Experience implementing real-time control systems on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS), ensuring deterministic and reliable operation.
• Domain Knowledge: Familiarity with satellite systems, laser communication technology, and aerospace engineering concepts is highly desirable.
• Navigation and Attitude Sensors: Practical experience using navigation and attitude sensors, such as inertial sensors and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), as well as filtering algorithms like Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) for state estimation.
• Stabilization Actuators: Relevant practical experience working with gimbals, fast steering mirrors, and other actuators used for stabilization and precise pointing in satellite laser communication systems.
• Optical Systems and Tracking Sensors: Strong understanding of optical systems and experience with optical tracking sensors, essential for accurate beam pointing and maintaining reliable communication links.

Location: Hybrid with travel when required. Our office is currently based in Osney Mead, Oxford.

By joining us, you will have:

• The opportunity to make a measurable difference in a growing startup building cutting edge technology to support a world-changing vision;
• Flexibility: Options for flexible working hours, working from home and custom arrangements that matter to you;
• Merit-based compensation (salary, equity options scheme), alongside pension contribution and annual leave allowance
• Investment in you to help you grow, with training resources and budget
• A supportive team culture with high levels of ownership and responsibility
• Annual team retreat, regular socials and weekly team lunch
• A variety of additional perks including goodies, shopping discounts, learning and wellbeing app subscriptions