Kum, ÖzgünÖzgünKumZipper, Matthias MichaelMatthias MichaelZipperMathey, LudwigLudwigMatheyKliesch, MartinMartinKliesch2026-06-232026-06-232026-06-15arXiv: 2606.17158 (2026)https://hdl.handle.net/11420/63593Quantum simulators enable the exploration of complex quantum phenomena in condensed-matter systems by reproducing their dynamics on controllable quantum devices. However, experimental constraints often restrict the class of Hamiltonians that can be realized natively. Hamiltonian engineering addresses this limitation by expanding the set of accessible target Hamiltonians from a fixed system Hamiltonian defined by the hardware. We introduce a new framework for fermionic Hamiltonian engineering based on conjugating free evolution under the system Hamiltonian with sequences of experimentally feasible local fermionic unitaries. The required sequences and free-evolution times are obtained efficiently via a linear program. By interleaving system evolution with these local unitaries, our method realizes effective time evolution under a broad class of target Hamiltonians, with intrinsic robustness to finite-pulse-time errors. In particular, we demonstrate that arbitrary complex tunnelling coefficients can be realized, constrained only by the connectivity of the underlying system Hamiltonian. We illustrate this capability by engineering the dynamics of the non-interacting Harper-Hofstadter model on a 1088-mode lattice and an interacting Fermi-Hubbard chain with complex tunnelling coefficients. By construction, our approach avoids the continuous energy absorption inherent to Floquet engineering.enhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/quantum simulators fermionic hamiltonitanNatural Sciences and Mathematics::530: PhysicsComputer Science, Information and General Works::004: Computer SciencesFermionic Hamiltonian engineering with local controlPreprint10.48550/arXiv.2606.1715810.15480/882.173492606.17158We are grateful to Pascal Baßler, Bruno Murta, Mirko Arienzo, Marcus Meschede and Thomas Friese for fruitful discussions on the project.