Full-Time

Controls Engineer

Posted on 9/2/2025

Tau

Tau

11-50 employees

Advanced electric propulsion systems with ML

Compensation Overview

$95k - $155k/yr

+ Bonus + Equity

San Carlos, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Electrical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Python
MATLAB
Simulink
C/C++
Data Analysis
Requirements
  • 1-3 years of relevant industry experience
  • Strong fundamentals of AC electric motors and drive systems analysis, modeling, and control
  • Solid background in linear systems analysis, stability, and controller design
  • Basic proficiency with embedded firmware development in C/C++
  • Model development and data analysis in Python or Matlab/Simulink
Responsibilities
  • Help define requirements for motor control software and interfacing hardware components, including voltage and current sensors, power stages, speed sensors
  • Understand, drive design of, and implement motor controller functionality, behaviors, and algorithmTranslate algorithms into software implementation and integrate that into the firmware framework
  • Test, validate, and troubleshoot controller implementation
  • Develop, test, and validate motor control algorithms in the laboratory and in-vehicle
  • Maintain awareness of and influence research and development in crucial component technologies that affect future inverter/motor designs and motor control
  • Advance Tau's intellectual property in electric motor design and motor controls
Desired Qualifications
  • Master or PhD degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechatronic engineering, or equivalent degree with a focus on control systems
  • In-depth understanding of motor control techniques such as slip-based control, field-oriented control, direct torque control
  • Experience with model-predictive control (MPC), reference generation, and advanced estimation techniques
  • Prior experience with flux estimation methods, 3-phase power control, analytical control system theory development and analysis
  • Experience with various PWM schemes such as space vector, discontinuous, and sinusoidal modulation, including data-acquisition methods
  • Familiarity with sensorless motor control algorithms and low-speed control techniques
  • Capability of delivering high-quality C code in an embedded microcontroller environment
  • System-oriented understanding of thermal, vehicle-level torque control, high voltage DC-link integration, efficiency optimization, and firmware integration for electric drives
  • Awareness of UL and CE electrical safety requirements and EMC requirements relevant to the design of power converters
  • Knowledge of environmental, reliability, and safety requirements for Automotive, Industrial, & Residential applications
  • Proven ability to design systems that are resilient to faults and errors

Tau Motors develops electrification and propulsion systems by combining scientific computing, machine learning, and multiphysics with hardware and software design. Its core products are Gamma, a motor platform that decreases reliance on rare earth materials while boosting performance and energy efficiency, and Helix, an integrated drive unit system. The company works with automakers, suppliers, defense, space, industrial, and other partners to deploy technology across many platforms and powertrains. Unlike many rivals, Tau Motors emphasizes collaborative development with industry partners and aims to deliver scalable, sustainable electric propulsion solutions through hardware licenses and software offerings. Its goal is to advance efficient, secure energy systems and accelerate the transition to sustainable electrification across multiple sectors.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$6.3M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2017

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • FORVIA HELLA partnership advances viOBC to 98% efficiency for 2027-2028 production.
  • Gamma eMachine showcased at Climate Week 2025 exceeds permanent magnet performance.
  • viOBC prototype passed testing, enabling vehicle-to-grid integration and scalability.

What critics are saying

  • FORVIA HELLA dominates viOBC production post-2027, sidelining Tau's revenue.
  • Turntide and Magnax surpass Gamma in torque density within 12-24 months.
  • BYD undercuts Helix with cheaper drive units in 6-12 months.

What makes Tau unique

  • Tau's Gamma motor eliminates rare earth magnets using software-defined optimization.
  • Tau's Ion platform delivers over 99% efficiency with modular auto converter modules.
  • Tau integrates scientific computing, machine learning, and multiphysics for propulsion.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Flexible Work Hours

Paid Holidays

Stock Options

Performance Bonus

Commuter Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-2%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

38%
Hagman Media
Sep 2nd, 2025
FORVIA HELLA, Tau Develop Advanced Chargers

International automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA is collaborating with Tau Motors, a leader in software-defined power conversion, in a strategic development partnership to create advanced charging solutions for electric vehicles.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 12th, 2023
Tau Motors Wins "Vehicle-To-Everything (V2X) Innovation Of The Year" In 2023 Autotech Breakthrough Awards Program

Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in Automotive and Transportation Technologies Around the GlobeLOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoTech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global automotive and transportation technology markets announced that Tau Motors , an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, wins this years’ “Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Innovation of the Year” award in the fourth annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards for its software-defined power converter system.Tau's Ion converter system is made up of next next-generation power electronics modules – called auto converter modules (ACMs) – that can be configured together like building blocks and resolve all power conversion challenges locally at the device level. Smart power conversion is critical to advance the world today. Fundamentally, electrification requires the need for power in different forms – whether alternating current (AC), direct current (DC), or different voltage or current levels. Tau’s Ion modules shrink the cost, size, and components required for power conversion which enables industry leading efficiencies, scalability, and power densities (processing more power per unit volume). Notably, the power density of Tau’s soft-switching Ion modules has continued to double approximately every two years while achieving particularly high efficiency – in excess of 99%.Tau’s Ion system includes adaptive smart filtering technology and advanced controls to enhance the reliability of power conversion systems – while also providing a software-defined, networked system that offers redundancy and reconfiguration through a hierarchical protocol that enables smart energy conversion

PR Newswire
Jul 13th, 2023
Tau Motors Named To Fast Company'S 2023 List Of The 100 Best Workplaces For Innovators And Earns Top Honors As The Winner Of The Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) Category

Joining Adobe, Spotify, Nvidia, Morgan Stanley, and many othersREDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tau Motors, an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, was featured on Fast Company's fifth annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list. Honoring organizations and businesses that demonstrate an inspiring commitment to innovation at all levels, Tau was included at No. 51 overall and also topped the list as the winner of the Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) category.Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, education, healthcare, technology, and many more. Fast Company editors, Accenture researchers, and a panel of distinguished judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies out of nearly 1,000 candidates. The 2023 awards feature workplaces from around the world with measurable, visible results in their efforts to cultivate internal innovation that creates external impact.Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation. Tweet this"Alongside our partners, Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation," says Wesley Pennington, Tau Founder and CEO

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