Head of Hardware

SkyCan Systems; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Employee benefits

Paid time off

Accommodation available upon request

Job summary

SkyCan Systems is seeking a senior hardware leader to define the hardware roadmap and avionics architecture for autonomous UAV platforms, spanning flight control electronics, power, sensors, payload electronics, and datalink.

You will lead, hire, and mentor PCB, RF, and lab technician staff, own the electronics BOM and component strategy, and establish DO-254-aligned hardware design assurance and MIL‑STD qualification practices through design-for-manufacturing to production handoff.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in electrical hardware design with robotics/aerospace/defence exposure.
• Minimum 3 years in lead/engineering-management role with direct reports.
• Eligible for CGP security assessment; existing clearance is an asset.
• MASc/BASc in relevant engineering field; P.Eng is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Define hardware roadmap and avionics architecture for autonomous UAVs.
• Lead, hire, and mentor PCB, RF, and lab staff; own hardware program schedule.
• Own BOM, supplier qualification, second-sourcing, obsolescence management.
• Establish DO-254-based design assurance and MIL-STD environmental qualification.
• Direct hardware development from concept to mass production and handoff.

Skills

Digital electronics

PCB design

Analog electronics

Avionics sensors payloads

Power distribution

EMI/EMC

Design assurance (DO-254)

RF and datalink integration

Sourcing & BOM management

Test & bring-up infrastructure

System architecture

Leadership & mentoring

Education

MASc or BASc in Electrical/Computer/Electronics Engineering or equivalent

P.Eng is an asset

Tools

IPC-2221

MIL-STD-810 / MIL-STD-461

Job description

WORK ARRANGEMENT: Onsite 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 REQUIREMENT: Must be eligible for security assessment under the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

THE ROLE

This role defines the hardware roadmap and avionics architecture for SkyCan's autonomous UAV platforms, spanning flight control electronics, power, sensors, payload electronics, and datalink. You will lead, hire, and mentor PCB, RF, and lab technician staff as the division scales, own the electronics bill of materials and component strategy, and establish hardware design assurance and environmental qualification practices.

You will direct hardware development from concept through mass production, including Design for Manufacturing, Design for Test, DVT/PVT campaigns, and production test strategy, coordinating with the other R&D heads on integration, requirements, and production handoff.

WHAT YOU'LL OWN

System architecture: Define the hardware roadmap and avionics architecture for autonomous UAV platforms — flight control electronics, power, sensors, payload electronics, and datalink. The roadmap must accommodate multiple propulsion architectures across programs (combustion on some platforms, electric on others), not a single company-wide standard.

Team leadership: Lead, hire, and mentor PCB, RF, and lab technician staff as the division scales. Run design reviews, own the hardware program schedule, and coordinate with the other R&D heads — Software & Perception, Airframe & Mechanical, V&V/Airworthiness and Safety, Systems, Manufacturing, and IT — on integration, requirements, and production handoff.

BOM and component strategy: Own the electronics bill of materials and component selection, including supplier qualification, second-sourcing, obsolescence management, and support of SkyCan's domestic content targets and export-control-conscious sourcing.

Safety and compliance: Establish hardware design assurance practices modelled after DO-254. Plan environmental and EMI qualification to MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461 methods.

Lifecycle management: Direct hardware development from concept through mass production — Design for Manufacturing, Design for Test, DVT/PVT campaigns, and production test strategy.

WHAT YOU BRING — TECHNICAL

Note: bracketed proficiency levels indicate the depth expected in each area. Items marked Asset are not required.

Digital electronics ( EXPERT ): MCU-based design (STM32 or similar), high-speed digital design, and companion-computer integration.

PCB design and layout ( EXPERT ): Multi-layer stack-up, signal integrity, controlled impedance routing, and EMI/EMC-aware layout per IPC-2221.

Analog electronics ( DEEP ): Precision analog signal conditioning (sensor front-ends, ADC/DAC interfaces), low-noise amplifier design, filtering for IMU/GNSS analog chains, mixed-signal layout, and noise isolation.

Avionics, sensors and payloads ( DEEP ): IMU/GNSS/LiDAR nav-sensor integration and design and customization of mission payload electronics. Fluency in I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, RS-485, RS-232, and Ethernet.

Power distribution and electrical systems ( DEEP ): High-current distribution, thermal management of power stages, and energy budgeting against endurance and range targets across multiple propulsion architectures — battery-electric (BMS, pack architecture and safety, power distribution boards, ESCs for BLDC motors) on some programs, combustion-based power generation and distribution on others.

Environmental and reliability engineering ( DEEP ): Design for thermal, vibration, shock, ingress, and EMI protection; EMI hardening and shielding; reliability prediction and derating; qualification test planning to MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461.

Design assurance and verification ( PROFICIENT ): Practical experience establishing and applying hardware design assurance modelled after DO-254 — design assurance levels, verification independence, and traceability. Formal DO-254 training or certification is not required.

RF and datalink integration ( PROFICIENT ): Integration and oversight of secure/encrypted C2 and video transmission links (link protocol and message handling sit with the Software division). Link budget literacy, antenna placement, COTS radio/telemetry module integration (Wi-Fi, 4G/5G LTE, LoRa or equivalent), and architecture-level oversight of anti-jam and EW hardware considerations. Enough depth to specify requirements to and review the work of a dedicated RF specialist; hands-on RF front-end, antenna, and EW design is an asset, not a requirement.

Component engineering and sourcing ( PROFICIENT ): BOM ownership, supplier qualification, second-source strategy, obsolescence and lifecycle management, and export-control-conscious component selection.

Test and bring-up infrastructure ( PROFICIENT ): Design and maintain HIL rig hardware, sensor/actuator interface harnesses, and flight controller bring-up jigs. Rig software, SIL/HIL test execution, and firmware verification sit with the Software division.

Contested-environment design ( WORKING KNOWLEDGE ): Architecture-level awareness of GNSS anti-jam and anti-spoof approaches, assured and alternative navigation sensing, and frequency agility — enough to make sound hardware architecture and partitioning decisions. Detailed link and EW design sits with the RF/datalink specialist.

FPGA and SoC design ( ASSET ): FPGA or SoC development for sensor interfacing, video pipelines, or signal processing acceleration.

QUALIFICATIONS & BACKGROUND

Experience: 12+ years in electrical hardware design with a strong focus on robotics, aerospace, defence, or automotive mechatronics. Minimum 3 years in a lead, principal, or engineering-management role with direct reports.

Verification: Hands-on experience with Worst-Case Circuit Analysis, FMEA, EMI/EMC troubleshooting, DVT/PVT test planning, and environmental qualification testing. Comfortable in a hands-on lab environment, including prototyping, rework, and hardware troubleshooting.

Security: Eligible for CGP security assessment. Existing CGP registration or a federal security clearance is an asset.

Education: MASc or BASc in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or Engineering Physics, or equivalent experience. P.Eng is an asset.

CERTIFICATIONS (ASSETS)

Existing federal security clearance, or eligibility to obtain one

IPC-A-610, J-STD-001

Transport Canada Advanced RPAS Certificate

Transport Canada Level 1 Complex Operations

WHY SKYCAN

Ownership of a technical division at a company moving from prototype to volume production.

Platforms that are fielded operationally, with direct feedback from operators.

A purpose-built facility with dedicated lab, integration, and test infrastructure.

Competitive base salary, employee benefits, and paid time off.

SkyCan Systems Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and make hiring decisions on merit, without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital or family status, or disability.

Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

This position involves access to controlled goods and controlled technology. Successful candidates must be eligible for and complete a security assessment under the Controlled Goods Program, and may be required to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada security clearance. Eligibility is assessed under Canadian law and does not require Canadian work experience.