WORK ARRANGEMENTOnsite by default. Up to 2 days remote per week after the first 6 months, subject to controlled-data handling constraints and lab access. Full onsite presence during bring-up, qualification, and flight-test campaigns.
SECURITY REQUIREMENTMust be eligible for security assessment under the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).
THE ROLEThis role defines the software and firmware architecture spanning the flight controller autopilot, map-based and visual navigation, the ground control station, datalink, mission systems, on-vehicle perception and AI pipelines, and product security. You will lead, hire, and mentor firmware, perception, navigation, and GCS engineers as the division scales, own the software-side interface control documents and requirements traceability, and enforce design assurance to DO-178C objectives and MISRA coding standards.
You will direct software development from prototype through qualified release, represent software at PDR, CDR, TRR, and safety reviews, and contribute to the R&D; roadmap for flight software, autopilot capability, perception and AI, and mission management jointly with the CTO.
WHAT YOU'LL OWNSystem architecture:
Define the software and firmware architecture spanning the flight controller autopilot, map-based and visual navigation, ground control station, datalink, mission systems, on-vehicle perception and AI pipelines, and product security (on-vehicle cryptography and secure boot) — including the logical and physical architecture for onboard computing and networking.
Team leadership:
Lead, hire, and mentor firmware, perception, navigation, and GCS engineers as the division scales. Run design and code reviews, own the software program schedule, and coordinate with the other R&D; heads — Hardware, Airframe & Mechanical,



V&V;/Airworthiness and Safety, Systems, Manufacturing, and IT — on integration and requirements.
Interfaces and traceability:
Own the software-side Interface Control Documents for avionics, sensors, datalinks, and ground systems, and maintain traceability from requirements through design, implementation, and verification.
Safety and compliance:
Establish and enforce software design assurance practices compliant with DO-178C objectives at the assurance level appropriate to each component's criticality, and MISRA coding standards.
Lifecycle management:
Direct software development from prototype through qualified release — HIL verification, regression test infrastructure, formal V&V;, and independent verification of auto-generated (model-based) flight code by an engineer who did not author the source model. Represent software at PDR, CDR, TRR, and safety reviews.
Technology roadmap:
Shape the R&D; roadmap for flight software, autopilot capability, perception and AI, and mission management, jointly with the CTO.
WHAT YOU BRING — TECHNICALNote: bracketed proficiency levels indicate the depth expected in each area. Items marked Asset are not required.
Embedded firmware
(EXPERT): Real-time embedded C/C++ on ARM Cortex-M / STM32H7-class MCUs;
RTOS (Azure RTOS, FreeRTOS or similar);
bare-metal driver development.
Open-source flight stack
(EXPERT):



Deep development experience modifying and extending PX4, ArduPilot, or similar frameworks — HAL layer porting, custom module integration, and the MAVLink protocol stack.
AI and perception
(DEEP): Model training and deployment for onboard target-recognition workloads;
GPU-accelerated inference pipeline design;
map-based and visual navigation for GNSS-degraded and denied operation;
data/MLOps pipeline ownership from collection and labelling through model iteration and deployment to the target platform.
Software quality and static analysis
(DEEP): Static analysis tooling, enforcement of coding standards for safety-critical software (MISRA guidelines), and rigorous code review discipline.
SIL/HIL and simulation
(DEEP): Software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop rig integration and execution (Speedgoat, NI PXIe or equivalent);
integration and execution of the 6-DOF flight dynamics model on the rig;
closed-loop regression testing. Model authorship and 6-DOF fidelity sit with Flight Sciences;
this role owns the physical rig and test infrastructure.
Systems and communications protocols
(DEEP): Datalink and telemetry protocol integration (radio hardware and antennas sit with the Hardware division);
I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, RS-485, RS-232, Ethernet;
secure and encrypted command-and-control link handling.
Requirements and verification discipline
(DEEP): Software-level requirements decomposition and bidirectional traceability;
software-side ICD authorship;
formal verification procedures and test evidence packages suitable for DND and Transport Canada review (e.G. DND TA-2017).
Product security and encryption
(DEEP): On-veh

📌 Head Of Software (Winnipeg)
🏢 SkyCan Systems
📍 Winnipeg