Actuations Systems Engineer

Who Are We? At HyPrix, we're building transonic payload delivery systems for autonomy. Things that fly fast we're enabling them with conscious software. Replicating the capabilities of expensive conventional frontline systems we're building the cheapest micro cruise missile systems on the planet. Built for a war of attrition, built for the era of software-defined warfare, built to cater to the front lines of battlefields where no man should stand in the future. Learn more about us:

About the Role The Actuation Systems Engineer will own the full lifecycle of electromechanical actuation and mechanisms on aerial vehicles from requirements derivation through design, electronics integration, build, ruggedisation, and qualification testing. The role spans flight control surface actuation, wing deployment, and stage separation mechanisms. This is a hands-on hardware role: you will be designing, assembling, and testing the systems yourself, not directing others to do it. An aerospace or robotics background is strongly preferred.

Required Qualifications: 3–5 years of experience in robotics actuation based role

Core Responsibilities

1) Electromechanical Actuator & Mechanism Design Size EMAs to hinge moment, bandwidth, rate, and deflection requirements derived from aerodynamic and GNC inputs; own the requirements document and trade-off record. Execute motor, gearbox, and drive train trade studies lead screw vs. ball screw vs. direct drive optimising for load, speed, backdrivability, and envelope constraints. Design linkage and mechanism geometry: control horns, pushrods, bell cranks, clevis joints, and rocker arms for linearity, mechanical advantage, and minimal slop. Budget backlash, compliance, friction, and thermal derating across the full actuation chain; track margin against GNC position accuracy requirements. Package actuation systems within tight airframe envelopes; manage mass, CG offset, and accessibility for assembly and maintenance simultaneously. Produce detailed part drawings, assembly drawings, and GD&T call-outs suitable for in-house fabrication and external vendor procurement.

2) Deployment & Separation Mechanisms Design wing fold/unfold mechanisms: hinge geometry, locking and latching features, deployment sequencing, and spring or motor driven actuation trade-offs. Design stage separation mechanisms capable of implementing pyrotechnic, pneumatic, or mechanical release architectures depending on programme requirements. Develop positive retention, fail-safe, and jam-resistant design features for all deployment and separation interfaces; analyse single-point failure modes and design them out. Perform deployment dynamics analysis: release energy budgets, hinge kinematics, clearance envelopes, and impact loads during unfold and separation events.

3) Electronics, Controls & Integration Select and integrate motor drivers and servo controllers, including key parameters and protections. Implement and tune closed-loop position control, ensuring performance meets GNC requirements. Define interfaces, fault handling, and harnessing, and provide actuator behaviour models to GNC.

Required Abilities Hands-on EMA design, build, and bench test experience. Mechanism and linkage design in 3D CAD SolidWorks, CATIA, Fusion 360, or equivalent with confidence producing release-quality drawings. Motor, gearbox, and drive electronics selection and integration for compact, high-load electromechanical systems. Closed-loop position control implementation: tuning, feedback sensor integration, and bandwidth verification. Strong understanding of actuator dynamics and how they interface with flight control system requirements. Environmental ruggedisation principles across vibration, thermal, shock, and EMI for airborne hardware. Aerospace or robotics background strongly preferred; automotive or industrial machine design considered where hardware complexity is comparable.

Nice to have: deployment or separation mechanism design experience wing fold, stage release, or equivalent; pyrotechnic, pneumatic, or mechanical release system interface experience; GNC awareness of how actuator non-linearities affect control loop stability; structural analysis of actuator mount and hinge fitting interfaces; experience with FMEA and formal reliability analysis for safety-critical mechanisms.

Should You Really Join Us? If you like learning, if you like figuring things out by yourself without others telling you how to do it and thrive under work pressure to ship missiles then this is for you. Join us to take ownership of your work. We are a lean team there is no rule book to what we're doing. You have an end goal which is based on a real product and you need to get it done your own way. It's hard, and we all love it here.