In this paper, the design and operation of a special electromagnetic actuator as a variable engine valve actuator are presented. Further, this paper describes a feasible approximated velocity switching estimator based on measurements of current and input voltage to achieve sensorless control. The proposed concept allows a reduced-order observer to be conceived and yields a specific control strategy with an acceptable performance. In general, this approach represents a viable strategy to build reduced-order observers for estimating the velocity of systems through the measurement of input current and voltage. The robustness of the velocity tracking is explored using a minimum variance approach. The effect of the noise is minimized, and the position can be achieved through an adaptive and optimized structure by combining this particular velocity estimator and an observer based on the electromechanical system. Position control is achieved through an inversion of the model. This approach avoids a more complex structure for the observer and yields an acceptable performance as well as eliminating bulky position-sensor systems. In addition, a control strategy is presented and discussed. Computer simulations of the sensorless control structure are presented in which the positive effects of the observer with optimized parameter setting are visible in the closed-loop control.