Robotics & Control Engineer

You want to help build Europe’s 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 Europe’s 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.