Sr. Dynamics and Controls Engineer

Karman Industries Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Gardena, California, Karman Industries is at the forefront of revolutionizing industrial thermal energy. Our mission is to electrify global thermal systems across data centers, manufacturing, and energy industries. Karman is developing the revolutionary Heat Processing Unit (HPU) to reinvent thermal handling for giga-scale data centers & AI factories.

The HPU is built around a supercritical CO2 chiller system utilizing a high-speed electrically driven turbomachinery core. Our system aims to reduce energy consumption in data center thermal management by greater than 25% and increase energy density by 10x. At Karman Industries, we are committed to fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment where innovation thrives.

Our team is composed of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of industrial manufacturing. Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.

About the Role

Karman Industries is seeking a highly skilled system dynamics and controls engineer to join our talented engineering team in Long Beach, CA. This is not an industrial automation or PLC/SCADA-based controls role — we are looking for someone who can derive the governing differential equations of a physical system from first principles, analyze that system's dynamic behavior, and design robust control algorithms around it.

Responsibilities

• Derive equations of motion and governing dynamics for physical systems from first principles
• Analyze system dynamics, including stability, controllability/observability, frequency response, and nonlinear behavior
• Design and validate robust control algorithms
• Build high-fidelity, physics-based models in Simulink/Simscape to validate control designs
• Collaborate with hardware and systems engineers to translate control designs into implementable algorithms
• Document modeling assumptions, derivations, and validation results Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred) - 5-7 years of experience deriving and analyzing dynamic system equations and designing control algorithms
• Strong first-principles derivation skills — comfortable building models from physics, not just tuning existing controllers
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and Simscape for physics-based modeling
• Solid grounding in control theory (classical and modern: state-space, frequency domain, stability analysis) Skills & Attributes:
• Background in GNC, robotics, mechatronics, power electronics/grid dynamics, or another deeply dynamics-driven field
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a first-principles physics-based approach
• Experience with nonlinear, optimal, or adaptive control techniques
• Familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop testing or real-time control implementation
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan. Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Karman Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.