This work presents the identification and validation of a non-linear model of a permanent magnet DC motor, which includes the phenomenon of dead zone and friction, as well as the design of a linear position control for this type of device. Its main objective is to reduce the effects that these non-linearities produce in the position control of electric motors. The proposed controller has an integral double effect and a lead compensator. It is implemented in real time, through a digital control scheme, in the Quanser DC Motor Control Trainer system, which includes a Maxon brand permanent magnet DC motor. The proposed controller is compared to two of the most widely used strategies to reduce the dead zone problem: control with the use of the “inverse” dead zone and switched control. For the first one, a PI controller plus the inverse dead zone is used, while for the second one, a switched PI-PD controller is designed. The responses of both controllers are analyzed with the numerical tool Matlab®/ Simulink™.