Job Description
Position: Tech Lead – Controls Engineering Focus
Location: Dexter, MI
Department: Engineering
Reports to: Engineering Leadership
Role Summary
As a Tech Lead at SwitchBox, you will be the hands-on technical driver across multidisciplinary engineering projects with a focus on controls system design and development. You will act as both architect and integrator, aligning customer needs with scalable engineering solutions in electrification, mobility, and autonomy.
This role requires deep technical experience in controls engineering including embedded control architectures, algorithm development, and system modeling. You will lead teams through the entire development lifecycle while also engaging directly with customers and internal stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
Serve as the technical lead on controls-focused projects
Own system architecture, decompose requirements, and lead implementation across hardware and software teams
Support model-based design using MATLAB and Simulink and provide hands-on guidance for algorithm development and integration
Plan and lead system-level simulation, verification, and validation to ensure system behavior meets performance targets
Review engineering deliverables including requirements, control architectures, and software documentation
Controls Engineering
Architect and implement closed-loop control strategies for power systems including battery management systems, inverters, actuators, and motor drives
Lead the implementation of real-time embedded controls on platforms such as TI, NXP, and STMicro
Contribute to the development, tuning, and debugging of control algorithms in Simulink and C or C++
Integrate sensors, actuators, and embedded systems with communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, and LIN
Manage calibration, signal conditioning, and real-time performance of control systems
Customer Engagement
Participate in technical business development including proposal writing and scope definition
Evaluate RFPs and provide technical leadership in project estimation and SOW creation
Collaborate with customer engineering teams to define requirements and resolve issues throughout the project lifecycle
Process and Team Development
Define and improve best practices for simulation, embedded workflows, and controls standards
Mentor engineers and lead design reviews to ensure quality and consistency
Drive improvements in how controls and systems engineering are integrated into the product development process
Qualifications
Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field
Seven or more years of experience in embedded or controls engineering with a focus on model-based development and system integration
Proficient in MATLAB and Simulink along with embedded C or C++
Strong understanding of control theory, real-time systems, and embedded platforms
Experience integrating hardware and software in systems using CAN and other communication protocols
Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to work across disciplines
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with electrification, off-highway systems, or autonomous platforms
Familiarity with ISO 26262 or other functional safety frameworks
Working knowledge of version control and project tracking tools
Exposure to HIL testing or digital twin development is a plus