Motor Drive Firmware Engineer-All Levels at Allen Control Systems (Austin, TX)
Allen Control Systems· Austin, TX·
Role details
Competitive Salary · Equity Package · Health Insurance · Dental Insurance · Vision Insurance · Paid Time Off
Allen Control Systems at a glance
Defense-tech startup building Bullfrog, an autonomous robotic weapon station that uses AI and computer vision to shoot down drones at a fraction of the cost of missiles.
ACS builds Bullfrog, an autonomous weapon station that mounts a common service machine gun and adds passive optical sensing, machine-vision tracking, and AI fire control to detect and neutralize hostile drones. A human authorizes every shot. The pitch is battlefield economics: driving the cost-per-kill of a drone down to as low as ten dollars.
$242M raised · latest: Series B · $200M · 2026 · backed by Smash Capital, Craft Ventures, Rally Ventures, Inspired Capital
Summary
Design and implement high-performance motor control firmware in C/C++ for real-time electromechanical systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop deterministic control algorithms, debug hardware interfaces, and validate performance in laboratory and field environments for autonomous defense platforms.
Job description
Company Overview ACS (Allen Control Systems) is a defense technology company building precision robotic systems for the United States and its allies. Founded by two former U.S. Navy electrical engineers with deep experience in robotics and software, ACS brings together AI, computer vision, precision motion, and advanced hardware to solve complex defense challenges across land, air, and maritime environments. Our flagship product, Bullfrog, is an autonomous precision weapon system that transforms existing weapons into highly accurate counter-drone systems — giving warfighters a scalable, cost-effective response to one of the fastest-growing threats on the modern battlefield. Bullfrog is deployed with U.S. forces, and ACS works with organizations throughout the U.S. military and national security community. Following a $200 million Series B at a $2.2 billion valuation, ACS is rapidly expanding manufacturing, accelerating Bullfrog deployments, and developing the next generation of autonomous battlefield systems. This is an opportunity to join a proven, fast-moving team and help scale technology with direct, real-world impact on national security. ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional operations in Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain View, California; and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit allencontrolsystems.com.
About The Role
We are looking for a Motor Drive Firmware Engineer with deep expertise in embedded systems and real-time control for electromechanical systems. You will design and implement high-performance motor control firmware critical to the precision and reliability of our autonomous platforms, working closely with electrical, mechanical, and systems teams to ensure seamless integration across hardware and software. We’re hiring across multiple experience levels, including:
- Associate Engineer
- Engineer
- Senior Engineer
- Staff Engineer
- Senior Staff Engineer
Your title and level will be determined based on your experience, skills, and the scope of responsibility appropriate for the role.
What You’ll Do
- Design and implement embedded firmware in C/C++ for real-time motor control, including high-frequency control loops, deterministic system behavior, and control algorithms (PID, FOC) for BLDC, PMSM, or similar motor systems.
- Work closely with electrical engineers to bring up motor control boards, including debugging power stages, gate drivers, and sensor feedback systems.
- Use lab equipment including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and power analyzers to validate performance and troubleshoot control, timing, and signal integrity issues.
- Optimize firmware for latency, efficiency, and reliability in hardware-constrained environments; conduct lab and field testing to validate motor performance under real-world operating conditions.
What You’ll Need
- 3+ years of experience in embedded firmware development with a focus on motor control systems.
- Strong experience with real-time control loops and BLDC/PMSM motors, motor drivers, and power electronics.
- Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems and experience with microcontrollers such as STM32, TI C2000, or similar.
- Strong debugging skills using hardware lab tools including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and power analyzers.
You’ll Stand Out
- Experience with Field-Oriented Control (FOC) or advanced motor control techniques.
- RTOS or bare-metal real-time firmware experience.
- Experience integrating firmware with mechanical systems and actuators.
- Familiarity with high-reliability or defense systems.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- ACS Equity Package
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Paid Time Off
Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. #LI-AS1
Why work at Allen Control Systems
- Mission: Directly contribute to protecting soldiers and changing the economics of drone warfare.
- Culture: Described as a remote-friendly organization with a strong engineering focus; HQ in Austin with a satellite office in Alexandria.
- Work Model: Remote core, but many roles require on-site presence in Austin for manufacturing and testing.
- Growth: Hyper-growth stage – employees have significant ownership and impact.
- Tech Stack: State-of-the-art tools: PyTorch, CUDA, Unreal Engine, ROS, Linux, Docker, Git, MLflow, and more.
- Team: High density of talent from SpaceX, Firefly, DoorDash, Lockheed Martin, and Carnegie Mellon.
- Perks: Not publicly detailed; typical for defense startups include competitive compensation, equity, and a chance to work on cutting-edge hardware-software integration.