Principal Electrical Engineer Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

PRINCIPAL EMBEDDED SOFTWARE & CONTROLS ENGINEER Location: New Hudson, MI | Onsite Direct Hire Salary: $104,000 - $173,000, depending on experience Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Travel: Approximately 10%, primarily within the Great Lakes region

Become the Technical Expert Behind Advanced Motion Control Systems

Our Client is seeking a highly experienced Principal Embedded Software & Controls Engineer to serve as a technical subject matter expert in advanced motion controls, embedded systems, and state-space control methods.

This is a senior, hands‑on technical role supporting the design, development, implementation, and validation of embedded control systems for advanced defense applications.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in modern control theory and can not only solve highly complex engineering challenges, but also teach, mentor, and grow controls capabilities across engineering teams.

You will support the full development lifecycle, from modeling and algorithm development through embedded deployment, hardware integration, vehicle testing, and field commissioning.

• Senior-level experience implementing motion control systems and state estimators using state-space methods
• Deep knowledge of classical and modern control theory
• Ability to serve as a subject matter expert and technical mentor
• Experience developing and deploying controls onto real embedded systems
• Strong MATLAB, Simulink, and embedded C/C++ experience

Advanced Controls Development

Design and implement control algorithms using classical and modern control techniques.

Develop advanced motion control strategies and state estimators.

Perform stability, robustness, and system performance analysis.

Design and tune multi-loop and multi-axis control architectures.

Deploy control algorithms using Simulink and embedded C/C++ environments.

Develop and validate controls through SIL, HIL, bench, and vehicle testing.

Support calibration, system commissioning, and field troubleshooting.

Modeling & Simulation

Develop state-space and frequency-domain models of electromechanical, hydraulic, and vehicle systems.

Apply physical modeling and system identification techniques.

Develop and validate state estimators.

Correlate simulation models with physical test data.

Identify system performance metrics and specifications.

Use simulation models to develop and refine advanced control strategies.

Technical Leadership

Serve as a technical authority for motion control and advanced control theory.

Mentor engineers in modern controls development techniques.

Help build deeper controls expertise across engineering teams.

Provide guidance on complex system‑level engineering challenges.

Participate in design reviews and technical decision‑making.

Hardware & System Integration

Support the selection and integration of electronic components and controllers.

Identify controller hardware based on I/O and computational requirements.

Communicate system requirements to mechanical and electrical engineering teams.

Troubleshoot complex system, controls, and electrical issues.

Master's degree or PhD in Automotive Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline

8+ years of engineering experience

Significant hands‑on embedded controls development experience

Advanced experience with motion control and state‑space techniques

Experience with several of the following is highly desirable:MATLABSimulinkStateflowState-space modelingState estimationKalman filteringLQR/LQGModel Predictive ControlMIMO system designRobust controlPIDLead-lag compensationLoop shapingRoot locus designFeedforward controlCascaded control architecturesNumerical optimizationParameter fitting and control tuning

Additional tools and technologies may include:Simulink/Stateflow CoderMotoHawkRaptorOpenECUdSPACEEmbedded C/C++MicrocontrollersLinuxRTOS platformsSIL and HIL testingCANLINJ1939XCP/CCPEthernetTCP/IPUDPEtherCATDDSTSN

Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly valued:Defense systemsCombat vehicle engineeringWeapon systemsFire control systemsTurrets and ammunition handling systemsActuator and motion controlMotors and valvesBy-wire systemsElectric and hybrid vehiclesVehicle-level simulationHardware/software integrationKnowledge of standards such as MIL-STD-498, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-882E, DO-178C, and DO-254 is also beneficial.

This is a fully onsite role in New Hudson, Michigan. Remote work is not available.

The standard schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Occasional additional hours may be required to support project deadlines.

Approximately 10% travel is expected, primarily within the Great Lakes region.

This position supports programs subject to U.S. export‑control and government security requirements. Candidates must meet applicable eligibility requirements and be able to satisfy requirements associated with obtaining a U.S. Government security clearance.

• HR phone screen
• Microsoft Teams interview with the hiring manager
• Onsite panel interview