Control Systems Engineer II - Applied Science

Responsibilities: • Develop control, automation, and data acquisition software in LabVIEW and Python for test and measurement systems, following established architectures and coding standards.

• Integrate instrumentation, DAQ hardware, benchtop equipment, and custom electronics into test systems, with general direction from senior engineers.

• Configure and commission timing, trigger, and interlock hardware for pulsed experiments, and verify sequencing and signal integrity against requirements.

• Interface with instruments and devices over RS-232/422/485, TCP/IP, EtherCAT and other Ethernet-based fieldbuses, and instrument control protocols.

• Write and execute test procedures, record results, and prepare verification reports for review by senior engineers.

• Troubleshoot system, software, and hardware issues on the test floor using systematic diagnostic methods, and document root cause and resulting changes.

• Maintain unit tests, automated regression tests, and version-controlled code within the team’s development workflow.

• Support test campaigns, including readiness checks, functional checkout, and on-the-floor support during experiments.

• Gather feedback from operators and experimenters, triage bug reports, and implement improvements.

• Maintain controls documentation such as I/O lists, signal lists, interface definitions, and as-built records, and coordinate with the electrical and operations teams that build from them.

Qualifications: • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field; a Master’s degree is a plus.

• Experience: Typically 2+ years of relevant experience in control systems, test and measurement, or automation engineering, or a Master’s degree with relevant hands-on project experience.

• Solid understanding of:

• LabVIEW development, including modular, version-controlled code

• Python for test automation, instrument control, and data handling

• Core control concepts such as PID control, closed-loop behavior, and state machines

• Ability to read electrical schematics and wiring diagrams and to troubleshoot signals with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and similar lab instrumentation.

• Familiarity with industrial and laboratory communication protocols (RS-232, TCP/IP, Ethernet-based fieldbuses).

• Familiarity with verification and validation practices, including test plans, test procedures, and requirements tracking.

• Experience with version control (Git).

• Ability to work with little day-to-day instruction within defined procedures, exercising judgment on problems of moderate scope and communicating clearly with the team.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance if required by future program work; a clearance is not required at the time of hire.

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Desired: • Education: Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field

• Experience in laser, pulsed power, accelerator, aerospace, or national laboratory test environments.

• Exposure to advanced LabVIEW architectures such as an Actor framework.

• Experience with DAQ systems, high-speed digitizers, or timing and synchronization systems.

• Familiarity with industrial control platforms (Beckhoff TwinCAT/EtherCAT, PLCs).

• Exposure to safety-related control concepts, interlocks, or fail-safe design.

• Familiarity with instrumentation standards and interfaces (SCPI, GPIB, USB instruments).

• Familiarity with database management and handling of test data.

• Exposure to sprint-based planning tools and workflows (e.g., Jira).