Hydraulic Controls EngineerALA Engineering and AGEO Autonomy are seeking a Hydraulic Controls Engineer to support the design, development, testing, and implementation of hydraulic control systems for autonomous agricultural equipment. This role will focus on integrating hydraulic systems with electronic controls, sensors, CAN communication, and vehicle control software. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with mobile hydraulic systems, electro-hydraulic valves, proportional controls, sensors, PID control loops, CAN bus communication, and controller programming. This position requires both engineering design capability and field troubleshooting experience.
Key Responsibilities:
Design and develop hydraulic control systems for mobile agricultural equipment.
Develop control logic for hydraulic functions including steering, chute control, conveyor control, mixer discharge, suspension, and auxiliary hydraulic functions.
Tune PID control loops using sensor feedback from cylinders, pressure sensors, flow sensors, position sensors, and other system inputs.
Select and integrate hydraulic components including pumps, motors, valves, manifolds, cylinders, sensors, and hose assemblies.
Program and support mobile controllers such as IFM, Danfoss, Parker, or similar platforms.
Work with CAN bus systems, including J1939, CANopen, and custom CAN messaging.
Integrate hydraulic controls with vehicle control systems, autonomy computers, safety controllers, and operator interfaces.
Develop test procedures for hydraulic performance, safety validation, and functional verification.
Troubleshoot hydraulic and electrical control issues in the shop and in field environments.
Support commissioning, calibration, and validation of prototype and production vehicles.
Create and maintain hydraulic schematics, wiring diagrams, control documentation, and test reports.
Work closely with mechanical, electrical, software, and field operations teams.
Support functional safety efforts related to hydraulic control, emergency stop behavior, safe-state behavior, and fault handling.
Assist with supplier communication, component selection, and technical reviews.
