Motor Control Expert

Overview

Zikodrive is a specialist in brushless motor control, designing and manufacturing custom electronic motor controllers for a wide range of applications. The company is now growing quickly and, as a result, we are looking for a Motor Control Specialist with a strong background in sensorless brushless motor control who can work within our design team with design and development across hardware, firmware, and compliance.

This is a hands-on engineering role ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of theory, design, and practical problem-solving — with the freedom to influence architecture and innovation in next-generation motor control systems.

Key Responsibilities

Motor Control Development

• Design and optimise sensorless BLDC and PMSM control algorithms (FOC, back-EMF, observer-based methods, etc.).
• Develop control strategies for high-performance applications including torque, speed, and efficiency optimisation.
• Analyse motor characteristics and implement adaptive or self-tuning algorithms where appropriate.
• Work to develop standard operating procedures in design to ensure consistency and reliability across custom projects.
• Where required, lead R&D projects to develop new technology for the company.

Firmware Engineering

• Develop and maintain embedded C firmware for microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, TI C2000, or similar).
• Implement communication protocols (UART, CAN, SPI, I2C, etc.) and integrate motor control logic with higher-level systems.
• Create and maintain test frameworks for validation and automated verification.
• Work with existing embedded team to maintain key standards and compliance information.
• Where necessary, work with existing team to upgrade existing architecture.

Hardware Design

• Collaborate on schematic design, PCB layout, and component selection for motor controllers and power electronics.
• Evaluate driver stages, current sensing methods, protection circuits, and power efficiency improvements.
• Work closely with PCB design engineers and manufacturing team, external suppliers to ensure manufacturability and reliability.

Compliance & Validation

• Ensure designs meet relevant compliance standards (for example EMC, LVD, and RoHS standards).
• Manage design verification and compliance testing, coordinating with external test houses as needed.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation and traceability through the design lifecycle.

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in sensorless BLDC/PMSM control algorithm design and implementation.
• Strong proficiency in embedded C and familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent tools for control simulation.
• Hands-on experience with hardware design, including gate drivers, current measurement, and thermal management.
• Knowledge of compliance processes and documentation for electronics manufacturing.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a small, agile engineering team and manage projects independently.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with motor parameter identification, auto-tuning, or self-commissioning algorithms.
• Familiarity with motor profiling tools and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes, QC standards, and end-of-line test development.
• Exposure to Python, C#, or MATLAB App Designer for test automation and user interface design would be an advantage.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge motor control technologies with global customers.
• Flexible working environment with room for innovation and technical autonomy.
• Support for professional development, research, and experimentation.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From £50,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person