About Shift Coastal

DESIGN. BUILD. INTEGRATE. DEPLOY. SUSTAIN.

Shift is a Canadian systems integrator building uncrewed maritime systems. We combine surface platforms, sensors, payloads, effectors, autonomy software, communications, and command infrastructure into mission-ready, pan-domain coastal systems, and we deliver the integration, field services, and sustainment to turn that technology into operational capability.

Overview A hands-on embedded systems role responsible for integrating the hardware that gives Shift's uncrewed surface vessels their sensing and control capability, including the flight controller, sensors, onboard compute, and communications hardware, along with the power and wiring design that supports them. This includes selecting and integrating remote platform components such as IMU/flight controller, getting navigation, situational awareness, and perception sensors calibrated, and feeding clean, reliable data so the perception and sensor fusion software has valuable inputs to work with. This role brings hardware and firmware from bench to field-tested configurations, working closely with the software autonomy and electro-mechanical integration roles and with the field team.

The role also contributes an embedded/hardware perspective when researching and selecting hardware and software as the autonomy system architecture is developed.

Responsibilities

1. Embedded Hardware & Firmware Integration

- Integrate the flight controller, sensors, onboard compute, and communications hardware into the vessel platform.
- Maintain the data path between the flight controller, the autonomy compute, and the commercial helm system, so commands and sensor data flow reliably in both directions.
- Design power distribution and wiring harnesses for the vessel's autonomy hardware, with attention to electrical separation and EMI/EMC.
- Integrate physical operator interface hardware (displays, controls, override switches) for manned and unmanned operation.
- Support autonomy software integration at the hardware boundary.




- Provide input regarding sensors (radar, lidar, camera, AIS) for navigation, DAA functions, and situational awareness.

2. Testing & Validation

- Support hardware-in-the-loop testing of the flight controller, the helm interface, and the full vehicle system.
- Diagnose hardware, firmware, and wiring faults during bench, dock, and sea testing.
- Document test results, defects, and configuration records.
- Test and implement sensors and imagers so they deliver clean, reliable, well-timed data, supporting the perception and sensor fusion software developed by the software autonomy team.

3. Cross-Disciplinary Research & Integration Support

- Contribute a hardware perspective to research and selection of sensors, compute, and communications equipment required for essential autonomy functions.
- Work with the software autonomy and electro-mechanical integration roles to test integrated hardware and software in real conditions, and feed lessons learned back into development.
- Support documentation of wiring diagrams and repeatable build configurations.

Qualifications - Experience

- Practical experience with embedded systems or hardware integration for robotics, autonomous vehicles, or similar field-deployed systems.
- Experience integrating flight controller or similar IMU/INS hardware and associated sensors.
- Experience with sensors and imagers for computer vision, object detection, obstacle avoidance, and vehicle telemetry.
- Experience troubleshooting across hardware, firmware, and wiring.

Qualifications – Education

- Technologist diploma (e.g., Electronics or Electrical Engineering Technology) or a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering,



or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).

Qualifications – Key Skills & Knowledge

- Proficient in C or C++ for embedded firmware development; familiarity with Python for tooling and test scripts is an asset.
- Comfortable with embedded Linux, microcontrollers, and vessel/vehicle communications protocols (CAN bus, I2C, Serial, Ethernet).
- Ability to read wiring diagrams and produce clear technical documentation.
- Ability to work across disciplines, including with the software autonomy and electro-mechanical integration roles.
- Experience with flight controllers and their associated sensors (IMU, GNSS).
- Experience with marine or autonomy-relevant sensors and communications hardware.
- Experience with power distribution and EMI/EMC principles.
- Experience with flight controller firmware (PX4, ArduPilot) is an asset.
- Experience with Electronic speed controllers and companion/edge-compute boards (Jetson, Raspberry Pi, or similar) is an asset.
- Familiarity with MAVLink and ROS2/DDS-based communication between the flight controller and autonomy compute is an asset.
- Familiarity with standard flight-control sensor suites and redundancy/failsafe practices is an asset.
- Familiarity with GCS software (e.g., QGroundControl, Mission Planner) for configuration and diagnostics is an asset.

Unusual physical demands or working conditions:

- Field work supporting bench testing, dock trials, and sea trials aboard and alongside uncrewed vessels.
- Work from small craft and from docks, including launch and recovery operations, with attention to footing, lifting, and moving equipment. Exposure to variable coastal conditions: cold water, wind, rain, sun, glare, and vessel motion.
- Occasional early starts, weather-driven schedule changes, and occasional travel to sea trial locations.

Pay: $70,000.00-$90,000.00 per year

Benefits

- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off

Work Location: In person

📌 Embedded Systems Designer – Autonomy (Nanaimo)
🏢 Shift Coastal Technologies
📍 Nanaimo