Robotics & Control Engineer

You want to help build Europes resilience.
You want to protect people and critical infrastructure ultimately saving the lives
of thousands.
You want to work at the frontier of high-performance autonomous systems.
Join us at CDDS to bring next-generation control guidance and state-estimation
algorithms into high-speed kinetic interceptor drones.

Tasks

Core Responsibilities:

• Designing and validating low-latency guidance and control strategies in
  Python based simulation environments before porting them to
  high-performance C/Rust
• Developing multi-sensor fusion algorithms for state estimation including
  uncertainty modelling and robust gating under latency asynchronous
  updates and drift
• Investigating MPC and reinforcement-learning-based strategies for
  trajectory generation and interception point control
• Modelling aerodynamic effects and motor dynamics
• Maintaining simulation pipelines (Docker GPU-accelerated dev-containers)
• Adapting and extending the PX4 autopilot stack for custom interceptor
  behaviour
• Running HIL tests and profiling system performance
• Conducting real world flight experiments analysing data and evaluating
  performance and failure modes

Requirements

Your Profile
We are looking for people who thrive on mathematical depth rapid iteration and
hands-on flight testing. You take full ownership of your subsystem from
modelling to real-world validation.

Required

• PhD or MSc in Robotics Control Engineering Computer Science or similar
  field with strong academic record (ETH Zürich or equivalent preferred)
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to derive evaluate and validate
  models
• Deep understanding of:
  o Classical & optimal control
  o Kalman filtering and State Estimation
  o Linear algebra (Rotations and transformations in SE(3))
• Proficiency in Python and C
• Comfortable in fast-paced high-ownership environments

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with:
  o ROS2 PX4 and real-time robotics software
  o MPC RL trajectory optimization
  o Computer vision and Event-cameras
  o Fast-moving object interception / high-dynamics control
  o Simulation Frameworks like Gazebo or Isaac Sim
• Background in drone flight testing or competitive robotics

Benefits

Why CDDS

• Direct impact on a mission-critical technology shaping Europes security
  landscape
• Fast-moving startup environment with high ownership
• Work with a highly technical ambitious and hands-on team
• Real-world testing deployments and customer demonstrations
• Attractive compensation

Details

• Location: Schlieren (Zürich) on-site
• Start date: March or tbd
• Environment: Rapidly growing deep-tech startup high-impact mission

We are looking for an exceptional Robotics & Control Engineer to drive the
control stack of our interceptor drone platform. You will architect and implement
state-estimation and control algorithms that directly determine successful target
interception taking them from Python-based simulation to robust deployable C
/Rust systems.

You will work closely with perception embedded simulation and hardware
experts ensuring your algorithms translate directly into field performance.