Controls Engineer at Axiom Exergy (Richmond, CA)

Are you ready to design and build the next generation control system for thousands of industrial IoT endpoints? Do you want to take your controls, electromechanical, mechatronics, and software skills to a whole new level while playing a mission-critical role in a cutting-edge energy storage company? Are you passionate about making tangible, impactful change on the planet?

Axiom Exergy is transforming the world's outdated refrigeration systems into intelligent, IoT energy storage batteries. We're making the long-term prospect of renewables on the grid a reality. And we're hiring top engineering talent to make it happen.

What You'll Do

As the Controls Engineer, you'll work directly with the Director of Controls Development, the VP of Engineering, and the CTO to realize the next-generation, scalable, optimized control system for Axiom Exergy's fleet of Refrigeration Batteries. The following just scratches the surface of what you'd do:

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• Design the next-generation control system for the Refrigeration Battery. Specify the computing platform, data acquisition hardware, sensors, actuators, drivers, and all other associated hardware.
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• Specify the embedded software and communications platform.
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• Build, program, integrate, test, and iterate the control system hardware/software. Deliver continual results using agile methodology.
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• Support, troubleshoot, improve, and standardize the existing PLC- and Linux-based control system.
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• Collaborate with the software team to develop the application-level software that interfaces your controls layer with the cloud/IoT layer of the computing stack.
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Who You Are

(These are general guidelines; we'll consider every exceptional candidate, regardless of background!)

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• B.S and/or M.S. in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, or similar.
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• 2+ years industry experience in controls development, including controller design and actuator / physical characterization.
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• 2+ years industry experience in microcontroller and electromechanical systems development, electrical and electronics design, system integration, testing, and analysis.
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• Solid understanding of digital systems, communications protocols (MODBUS), and networking (RS-485, Ethernet).
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• Solid microcontroller / mechatronics / embedded programming experience (PLC ladder logic, Arduino, assembly, C, etc).  
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• Python scripting, Bash scripting, Linux fluency, databases, and JSON experience highly preferred.
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• Java programming and/or application-level software experience a plus.
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• Physical systems modeling and/or data analysis experience a plus.
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• Proficiency with typical electronics tools, including meters, oscilloscopes, fabrication (soldering, crimping), etc.
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• An enthusiastic self-starter who can work with minimal supervision, generates novel and creative solutions to tough problems, and is detail- and results-oriented.
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• Is passionate about technology innovation, product development, energy engineering, and energy storage, and is willing to put in the effort it takes to get this energy storage startup off the ground!
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The Fine Print

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• Compensation in cash and/or equity in the company.
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• As startups go, the work is demanding and the hours are long, but we’ll make every effort to find an arrangement that works.
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• Occasional travel for site evaluations and installations (up to 20%).
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Optional Challenge Questions

We’d love to get a sense of your thought process. If you'd like, please send us a concise response (~5 sentences) to any or all of the following:

1) Consider a process in which a fluid continuously fills a reservoir at a variable rate. A positive displacement pump moves fluid out of the reservoir. The control system should a) maintain a specified level in the reservoir and b) not exceed a pressure threshold at the pump’s outlet. How would you design the control system? What controls framework(s) would you employ? What physical devices would you need?

2) For the system described above, what specific microcontroller, PLC, single board computer, etc would you choose and why?

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