About the Role:
You will design and develop motor controls, automation sequences, and embedded control systems for the vehicle's fluid systems. This includes motor-driven valve and pump actuation, automated fill/drain/vent/conditioning sequences, and closed-loop control of fluid subsystems across propulsion, pressurization, and thermal management. You will work at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, and software engineering to deliver robust, flight-ready control solutions from concept through integration and operations. This role is located in the
Seattle WA area.
Responsibilities:- Design and implement motor control systems for electrically actuated valves and pumps, interfacing with drive electronics, feedback sensing, and control algorithms.
- Develop automated sequences for propellant fill, drain, vent, and conditioning operations on both vehicle and ground support equipment.
- Architect and implement closed-loop control for fluid system parameters (pressure, temperature, flow rate, liquid level) across propulsion and thermal subsystems.
- Select and integrate actuators, motors, encoders, position sensors, and pressure/temperature instrumentation for fluid system control.
- Design control electronics hardware (motor drivers, power stages, sensor interfaces) or define requirements for electrical engineering partners.
- Develop embedded firmware and real-time control software for fluid system controllers and sequencers.
- Perform system modeling and simulation to validate control strategies, predict transient behavior, and tune controller gains.
- Define and execute hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and system-level test campaigns to verify control performance and fault response.
- Develop fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) logic for fluid system automation to ensure safe operations during nominal and off-nominal conditions.
- Work closely with fluid systems, propulsion, avionics, and software teams to integrate controls into the broader vehicle architecture.
- Support propulsion hot-fire testing, vehicle fill/drain operations, and ground system commissioning.
- Investigate anomalies, analyze telemetry data, and iterate on control designs to improve performance and reliability.
Basic Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering field.
- 3+ years of experience in controls engineering, mechatronics, or automation for hardware systems.
- Experience with motor control (BLDC, stepper, or brushed) including drive electronics and feedback control.
- Experience with PID control loops, kalman filtering, feedforward control or other control loops and estimation algorithms.
- Proficiency in embedded programming (C/C++) for real-time control applications.
- Experience developing automated sequences or state machines for complex physical systems.
- Hands-on experience integrating sensors, actuators, and control electronics into hardware assemblies.
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience with PLC/PAC programming or custom sequencing engines for ground support equipment.
- Knowledge of control system design tools (MATLAB/Simulink, Python, LabVIEW, or equivalent) for modeling and simulation.
- Experience designing or specifying motor drives and power electronics for harsh environments (vibration, thermal extremes).
- Familiarity with communication protocols common in aerospace (CAN, RS-422, EtherCAT, SpaceWire).
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing and rapid prototyping of control systems.
- Understanding of fluid system physics (pressure regulation, two-phase flow, thermal transients) as it relates to control design.
- Experience with launch vehicle, spacecraft, or rocket engine fluid system controls.
- Familiarity with cryogenic fluid handling and the controls challenges of cryogenic environments.
Compensation and BenefitsThe salary range for this position is
$160,000 - $200,000 annually.
The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.- Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
- Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Paid time off
- 10 paid holidays per calendar year
- Paid parental leave
- Relocation assistance if applicable
- Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks
ITAR Requirements- Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.
DisclaimerThis job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.'s discretion.
