Jobs › Oshkosh Corporation

Principal Engineer - Controls, Drive By-Wire

Oshkosh Corporation · Oshkosh, WI · $91,500–$148,100 a year · Full time

Posted Jul 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Oshkosh Corporation

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a controls problem that only showed up on the real vehicle. How did you track it down?

What they are checking: Whether they can debug the gap between simulation and the physical world.

As a principal engineer, how do you raise the technical level of the controls team around you?

What they are checking: Whether they mentor and set standards rather than only doing their own work.

What would you do

An external vendor's actuator doesn't respond the way their spec says. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they gather data, work with the vendor constructively and protect the program schedule.

The program is pushing for a demo date and you're not confident the controller is safe. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they protect people during testing and explain the risk clearly to leadership.

About the work

Walk me through a vehicle motion control strategy you developed, from the plant model to running on a vehicle.

What they are checking: Whether they have taken controls work all the way through simulation, HIL and production.

How do you design a drive-by-wire steering or braking system so a single fault doesn't cause a loss of control?

What they are checking: Whether they understand redundancy, fault detection and safe states in safety-critical controls.

How do you model heavy vehicle dynamics for controls work, and where do simple models break down?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the limits of their models for large, heavy and off-road vehicles.

What's different about controlling an unmanned ground vehicle off-road compared to active safety on the highway?

What they are checking: Whether they can handle uncertain terrain, traction and the absence of a driver fallback.

How do you decide when a control strategy is validated enough in HIL to move to vehicle testing?

What they are checking: Whether they have clear criteria for moving between stages instead of rushing to the vehicle.

How do you work with systems engineering to write requirements for a by-wire function?

What they are checking: Whether they turn program goals into clear, testable controls requirements.

What functional safety standards have you worked under, and how did they shape your design?

What they are checking: Whether they have applied safety processes like ISO 26262 or similar to real controls work.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Oshkosh Corporation from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Oshkosh Corporation.

At Oshkosh, we build, serve and protect people and communities around the world by designing and manufacturing some of the toughest specialty trucks and access equipment. We employ over 18,000 team members all united by a common purpose. Our engineering and product innovation help keep soldiers and firefighters safe, is critical in building and keeping communities clean and helps people do their jobs every day. Work within autonomy and active safety engineering group in the development of control strategy for advanced vehicle control systems. Controls work encompasses advanced control strategy development and verification for unmanned ground vehicle systems and active safety for on-road and off-road applications. YOUR IMPACT: • Responsible for advanced vehicle system controls development, verification and validation, testing, and production implementation. • Design, develop, and refine vehicle motion control related strategies. • Develop and implement control algorithms using virtual simulation environments, modeling tools, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation platforms, transitioning validated strategies to vehicle testing and production. • Collaborate with Systems Engineering to define and document system and software requirements that align with program objectives and customer needs. • Work with internal project teams and external vendors on development efforts. • Support project planning activities by contributing to feasibility assessments, resource estimates, budget development, project schedules, and technical risk evaluations. • Provide technical leadership and engineering expertise to product design and development teams throughout the product lifecycle. • Participate in functional safety activities, including hazard analysis and risk assessment, and develop software in accordance with applicable safety-critical standards and best practices. • Investigate and resolve complex system integration and performance issues through root cause analysis and corrective action development. • Develop comprehensive verification and validation plans, execute testing activities, and analyze results to ensure control system robustness, stability, reliability, and performance. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor's degree in engineering and 5+ years related work experience or master’s degree in engineering and 3+ years related work experience. • Experience developing model-based software using MATLAB/Simulink environment. • Knowledge of classical control theory, optimal controls, adaptive controls, model predictive controls, and state-space modeling. • Experience developing embedded controls. • Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, control theory, and physics-based control algorithm development. • Experience developing vehicle dynamic related features such as ABS, ESC, hill hold assist, adaptive cruise control, robotic motion control, or similar advanced vehicle control systems. • Experience working with vehicle network protocols such as CAN, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet. • Familiarity with model-based development and validation environments, including SIL, HIL, and vehicle validation environments. STANDOUT QUALIFICATIONS: • Proficiency with tools such as Vector CANalyzer, dSPACE TargetLink, and dSPACE ControlDesk. • Experience in the automotive, commercial vehicle, off-highway, or heavy equipment industries. • Familiarity with applicable ISO and SAE standards related to vehicle systems, controls, communications, and software development. • Experience with functional safety standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61508 or MIL-STD 882. • Experience developing engineering tools, automation scripts, or data analysis applications using Python. • Understanding of model-based development workflows, software verification and validation, and control system calibration. • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex technical concepts across software, hardware, systems, functional safety, and supplier teams. CORE COMPETENCIES: • Internal Contacts: Contact with peers and others involving explanation of information (these contacts may be within or outside department or division), and the gathering of factual information; may include the communication of sensitive or confidential information. • External Contacts: Limited external contact to: gather information, answer queries, or ask assistance. • Communication Skills: Read, write and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos; Read and interpret safety rules, operating/maintenance instructions and procedure manuals; Write routine reports, correspondence and speak effectively before both internal and external groups; Read, analyze and interpret business manuals, technical procedures and/or government regulations: Read, analyze and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports and legal documents. • Decision-Making: Regularly makes significant decisions and final results, typically affecting the entire department. Available guides or precedents are limited. Has authority over the allocation of resources. • Complexity, Judgment and Problem Solving: Work requires the ability to plan and perform work in light of new or constantly changing problems, work from broad instruction, and deal with complex factors not easily evaluated. Decisions require considerable judgment, initiative and ingenuity in areas there is little precedent. • Supervisory/Managerial: General instructing, scheduling, and reviewing the work of others performing the same or directly related work. Acts as “lead worker”. WORKING CONDITIONS: • Physical Demands: Frequent: Standing, Walking/Running, Sitting, Reaching, Hearing, Talking, Visual, Typing; Occasional: Driving, Fine Dexterity, Manual Dexterity; Upper Extremity Repetitive Motion; Seldom: Lifting/Carrying 25lbs., Pushing/Pulling 25llbs. • Non-Physical Demands: Frequent: Analysis/Reasoning, Communication/Interpretation, Math/Mental Computation, Reading, Sustained Mental Activity (i.e. auditing, problem solving, grant writing, composing reports), Writing. • Environmental Demands: Frequent: Work Alone, Frequent Task Changes, Tedious/Exacting Work; Occasional: High Volume Public Contact. • Work Schedule: Routine shift hours. Infrequent overtime, weekend, or shift rotation. • Demands/Deadlines: High volume and variable work demands and deadlines impose strain on routine basis or considerable stress intermittently; OR regular direct contacts with distressed individuals within the immediate work environment; and/or exposure to demands and pressures from persons other than immediate supervisor. #LI-VR Pay Range: $91,500.00 - $148,100.00 The above pay range reflects the minimum and maximum target pay for the position across all U.S. locations. Within this range, individual pay is determined by various factors, including the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, education and skills, as well as the equity of pay among team members in similar positions. Beyond offering a competitive total rewards package, we prioritize a people-first culture and offer various opportunities to support team member growth and success. Oshkosh is committed to working with and offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at corporatetalentacquisition@oshkoshcorp.com. Oshkosh Corporation is a merit-based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open for application to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. To the extent that information is provided or collected regarding categories as provided by law it will in no way affect the decision regarding an employment application. Oshkosh Corporation will not discharge or in any manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with Oshkosh Corporation's legal duty to furnish information. Certain positions with Oshkosh Corporation require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or the Export Administration Regulations. Applicants for these positions may need to be "U.S. Persons," as defined in these regulations. Generally, a "U.S. Person" is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or an individual who has been admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.

Apply at Oshkosh Corporation