Role highlights:

• Role: Control Engineer, Stratospheric Unmanned Electric Aircraft (Fixed Wing)

• Department: HAPS

• Location: Valencia, Spain

• Reports to: VP of Engineering, HAPS

• Working type: Hybrid

• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)

The Mission of the Control Engineer

As a Control Engineer in the HAPS program, you will be responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of various custom pieces of autopilot systems and control logic to manage the complex transition of an ultra-lightweight large wingspan aircraft from takeoff to transitioning through the atmosphere to twice the altitude of passenger jets, normal operations and landing.

It will involve numerous challenges to manage a takeoff and separation from a launch carrier, aeroelastics management, protection of structures in the face of adverse weather, complex landing transitions, and mission profiles of Earth Observation tasks etc.

The span of control system development needs in an unmanned aircraft like HAPS is very wide, ranging from flight control and navigation to guidance and mission management, which will require collaboration across the entire team from structures to avionics to operations. You will be part of a growing and dedicated team facing an exciting challenge.

You will get to work with a world-class team on a UAV project that has real impact and will set a new mark on aviation history. You will get to enjoy a transparent, open, and inclusive work culture. This is the beginning of an operations-dedicated team that’s intended to grow fast, thus, it offers substantial growth opportunities.

Who are we?

ICEYE delivers space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to governments and allied nations. This includes sovereign and turnkey ISR missions leveraging ICEYE's world-leading synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, as well as access to data from the world's largest SAR satellite constellation. These capabilities enable partners to detect and respond to critical changes anywhere on Earth with unprecedented speed and accuracy – day or night and in any weather, supported by ultra high-resolution imagery and high-frequency revisits.

As a trusted partner for defense, intelligence, security, and maritime domain awareness, ICEYE's near real-time data creates a tactical advantage for mission-critical operations. ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, Japan, the UAE, Greece, Germany, and the US. The company has more than 900 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

Day to day responsibilities:

• Managing a complex balance of aeroelastics, adverse weather, structural needs and mission needs

• Designing and implementing advanced control algorithms for a novel UAV system, including flight control, navigation, and guidance systems

• Developing and optimizing state estimation algorithms for robust performance in various flight conditions

• Integrating sensors and actuators into the control architecture, ensuring seamless data flow and command execution

• Developing and/or improving hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) and software-in-the-loop (SITL) simulation systems for control system verification and validation

• Discovering and understanding airworthiness requirements pertaining to control system safety and reliability

• Developing rigorous verification procedures for control system performance and stability

• Participation in flight test campaigns and in-flight data analysis to fine-tune and troubleshoot control systems

Requirements:

Must have skills

• 5+ years of relevant work experience in control system design and implementation

• Strong theoretical background in classical and modern control theory

• Experience in building simulations, physics models and complex test cases to develop against

• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used for control systems (e.g., C, C++, Python)

• Expertise in developing embedded software for real-time control applications

Nice to have skills

• Familiarity with state estimation techniques

• Experience with robust control methods for dealing with uncertainties and disturbances

• Knowledge of flight dynamics and aerodynamics for fixed-wing or high-altitude aircraft

• Hardware debugging experience, including familiarity with tools such as the oscilloscope, logic analyzer, and protocol analyzer (SPI, CAN, Ethernet, or similar)

• Experience in developing control systems for stratospheric or long-endurance aircraft

• A proactive, can-do attitude and love for aerospace are expected

• Passion for solving complex problems in a team environment

Application process

• Talent Acquisition Interview

• Hiring Manager Interview

• Technical Interview (onsite or virtual), including a Technical Challenge

• Hiring Team Interview

• Offer Decision

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

• Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions.

• See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.

• Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.

• Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.

• Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing—at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help.

Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com