Controls Engineer jobs in Christchurch, Canterbury

Accelerate the Future of Autonomous Agriculture with Trimble!

Are you ready to make a tangible impact on advanced agricultural technology? Trimble is looking for a passionate problem-solver like you to help us transform off-highway machinery and shape the future of positioning systems!

What Makes This Role Great:

• You will be at the forefront of migrating physical vehicle testing to automated SIL/HIL environments, directly accelerating development cycles and enhancing product quality for global agriculture industries.

Key Exciting Responsibilities:

• Stand up HIL testbenches and develop automated scripts using platforms like NI VeriStand.
• Write and maintain model and software test cases in Python and MATLAB to maximize code coverage.
• Build and refine data analysis tools to clearly present positioning and sensor performance baselines to development teams.
• Support engineering teams with in-field vehicle data logging and real-world testing.
• Partner collaboratively across hardware, embedded software, and systems teams to define robust test requirements.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechatronics, Robotics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of professional experience in test automation, systems validation, or robotics/controls testing.
• Proficiency in Python for automation, scripting, and data analysis, along with familiarity with Linux environments and version control systems like Git.
• Solid understanding of positioning technologies and principles such as GNSS, IMUs, odometry, or sensor fusion.
• Strong willingness and ability to travel up to 15% for on-site field testing and data collection.

Bonus Points For:

• Up to 10 years of progressive experience in autonomous or semi-autonomous machinery, automotive, aerospace, or heavy equipment validation.
• Direct experience configuring HIL hardware/software setups and I/O instrumentation.
• Deep understanding of sensor fusion algorithms, Kalman filtering, or GNSS-INS systems and off-highway CAN protocols like J1939 and NMEA 2000.
• Ability to read, debug, modify, or write embedded C/C++ code directly.

Logistics:

Please note: Only applicants who are legally entitled to work in New Zealand will be considered.

Location: Christchurch, New Zealand (In Office)
Our office in Christchurch, New Zealand (handily located on the Little River Link Cycleway), is the engineering center in our region and home to over 450 staff, offering free parking, an on-site fully featured gym, changing rooms & showers, table tennis, an active social club, and a great team environment where people love working with leading technology solutions.

Travel Requirement: Up to 15%

Keywords: automation engineer, test automation, positioning systems, controls testing, python, matlab, hil, sil, gnss, robotics, mechatronics, christchurch jobs

How to Apply: Please submit an online application for this position by clicking on one of the Apply buttons located in this posting.

Join a Values-Driven Team: Belong, Grow, Innovate.

At Trimble, our core values of Belong, Grow, and Innovate aren't just words—they're the foundation of our culture. We foster an environment where you are seen, heard, and valued (Belong); where you have an opportunity to build a career and drive our collective growth (Grow); and where your innovative ideas shape the future (Innovate). We believe in empowering local teams to create impactful strategies, ensuring our global vision resonates with every individual. Become part of a team where your contributions truly matter.

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