Overview
Join to apply for the Controls Engineer role at Athena Racing.
Athena Racing are expanding our technical team with the goal of winning the America’s Cup, the oldest international competition still contested in any sport. We are building an agile, creative and collaborative team to compete and win at the pinnacle of the sport of sailing. Our team values have a sharp focus on maximizing performance from our designs, while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
We’re growing our controls and mechatronics team in support of this America’s Cup challenge. This is a unique opportunity to work on the systems that allow our yacht to be safely and efficiently sailed at over 50 knots in one of the world’s most technically demanding sporting events. We’re hiring at different levels of experience, so whether you’re an early-career engineer with strong fundamentals or a senior engineer with deep expertise, we’d like to hear from you.
Responsibilities
* Develop robust controls engineering solutions to support all activities of the team across test, simulation, and racing environments
* Architect & develop control systems comprising hydraulic, electrical & electronic, and embedded control software elements
* Ensure seamless integration of control algorithms with the control hardware
* Develop & support higher-level control strategies for optimal control of yacht flight and sail trimming
* Integrate our mechatronic control systems with wider yacht & data systems
* Ensure that we maximise the potential of our yacht’s systems relative to the rules that govern the class.
Required skills/experience
* Strong understanding of hardware integration using EtherCAT, CAN, and serial communication protocols.
* Demonstrated experience applying advanced control theory to develop and support high-level control strategies in dynamic environments.
* Proficiency in control software development using MATLAB, Simulink, and Beckhoff TwinCAT.
* Familiarity with modern development tools and practices, including Git, Azure DevOps, Artifactory, AWS, Ansible, and CI/CD pipelines.
* Excellent communication skills for effective collaboration within multidisciplinary teams under high-pressure conditions.
* Commitment to robust engineering standards, including version control, automated testing, continuous integration, and thorough documentation.
* Enthusiastic approach to solving complex technical challenges in a fast-paced, team-driven setting.
Desired skills/experience
* Proficiency in networking protocols (UDP/TCP), containerisation (Docker), and scripting (PowerShell) for seamless integration of control systems within complex yacht architectures.
* Familiarity with machine learning techniques and simulation environments to support predictive modelling and performance optimization.
* Understanding of yacht dynamics and autopilot systems, with the ability to apply control strategies in real-world sailing conditions.
* Experience in developing embedded electronic modules, including hands-on work with microcontrollers and hardware interfaces.
* Competence in embedded C programming and communication protocols such as serial and CAN bus.
* Strong Python skills for data analysis, visualization, and performance diagnostics.
* Genuine interest in sailing or high-performance sports, with a passion for contributing to elite-level competition.
* Be part of a world-class America’s Cup team working at the intersection of sport and technology, with the chance to contribute directly to our sporting success and push the limits of human and technological performance.
* Open to growth — we have openings from junior to senior levels, and will look to develop you to be part of the future of our team.
* Competitive package with: 25 days annual leave (plus public holidays) per annum, Company Pension Scheme, Private Medical Insurance, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme.
Seniority level
* Open to multiple levels of experience (from early career to senior).
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Engineering and Information Technology
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