Senior R&D Engineer - System Dynamics and Controls

Position Title:

Senior R D Engineer -

System Dynamics and Controls Job Group:

Professional & Scientific Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 8 years related experience

Job Description:

Build the Future of Agriculture If you want your engineering work to matter outside the lab—on real machines, in real farm fields, with real impact—this is the role for you. Who We Are The Digital Ag Innovation Lab partners with leading agricultural companies to imagine, design, and deploy next-generation technologies for agriculture. Our team works at the intersection of applied engineering, industry collaboration, and the land-grant mission, moving ideas from concept to prototype to field deployment and ultimately into industry adoption.

Our vision is bold:

to be the premiere thought leader and partner in ag innovation. Our mission guides everything we do: Innovate. Educate. Outreach. We innovate with partners to create technology solutions that drive value into agriculture and our communities. We educate to inspire and develop students and professionals to ensure a thriving workforce that drives success within our industry. We outreach to share knowledge with farmers and ag businesses and promote practices that enhance their success. We operate with four core values: Passion. Innovation. Collaboration. Excellence. The Opportunity We are seeking a Senior R D Engineer to lead the architecture, integration, and deployment of advanced digital agriculture systems. This is a hands-on systems engineering leadership role with ownership from concept through field deployment. You will design and integrate hardware and software systems, develop production-representative platforms, and deliver solutions that are robust, scalable, and deployment-ready. You will work directly with OEM and industry engineering teams to define requirements, lead execution, and ensure systems meet real-world performance expectations. What You'll Do Lead system architecture and integration of automation and control systems for real-time vehicle applications Design and implement multi-sensor data pipelines to support control development and system performance analysis Develop and validate vehicle dynamics and system models to inform control strategies and hardware selection Define and execute validation strategies across simulation, HIL, lab, and field environments Integrate embedded systems with vehicle networks (e.g., CAN, Ethernet) and real-time control architectures Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies into deployable, production-representative systems Lead cross-functional engineering efforts, delivering against technical milestones and partner expectations Develop technical documentation, scopes of work, and deliverables for external partners Mentor engineers and contribute to a high-performance engineering culture focused on ownership, innovation, and execution The successful candidate will bring deep experience designing and integrating complex hardware-software systems for vehicle dynamics and controls, from modeling and simulation through embedded deployment, lab and field validation, and extraction of meaningful performance metrics. Strong project management, communication, and leadership skills are essential when collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, industry partners, and externally funded engineering projects. Technology & Systems You May Work With Vehicle communication networks (CAN, CAN FD, Ethernet) Sensor integration, data acquisition, and multi-sensor fusion systems Model-based development tools (MATLAB, Simulink, Simscape) Embedded systems and real-time control architectures Mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic system integration Agricultural and off-highway equipment platforms This is a term position with the expectation of long-term renewal. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship. This position is hired as an R D Engineer IV and will remain open until filled. Preferred Qualifications M.S. or Ph.D. in Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field Background in agricultural equipment, off‑highway machinery, robotics, or precision ag systems Experience commercializing applied engineering solutions Experience mentoring engineers in fast‑paced development environments

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on "Apply" and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following: Resume/Curriculum Vitae Letter of Application/Cover Letter Why Choose Iowa State University? Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as: Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa) Life insurance and long-term disability Flexible Spending Accounts Various voluntary benefits and discounts Employee Assistance Program Wellbeing program If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or

Toll Free:

1-877-477-7485.

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

May 24, 2029

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12

Month Work Period Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

PS813

Original Posting Date:

April 28, 2026

Posting Close Date:

Job Requisition Number:

R19081 Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu. General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications. By focusing on the future and providing the best student experience possible, Iowa State University attracts students and faculty who want to make a difference. With a comprehensive land-grant mission of education, research, extension and outreach, we produce scholars whose ideas change the world. And through Innovate at Iowa State, we provide innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, the city of Ames was recently named one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. for campus life and career opportunities. Iowa State University is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. Campus community members have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to engaging with each other respectfully as outlined in the university's Principles of Community. Iowa State recognizes that diverse intellectual and philosophical perspectives are vital to innovation, critical thinking skills, and a dynamic academic community that fosters the land-grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work. All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university's verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and/or a consumer credit check. Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu. If you have questions about the application process please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll-Free at 1-877-477-7485. Iowa State University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should email employment@iastate.edu or call (515) 294-4800 or

Toll-Free:

(877) 477-7485. TTY users are welcome to use the Iowa Relay Service number by dialing 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2942. General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.