Software Product Assurance Engineer

MDA Space; Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

MDA Space seeks a Software Product Assurance professional to lead technical and administrative oversight ensuring software quality and development processes meet program requirements. You will be part of satellite constellation teams supporting assembly, integration, testing and on-orbit operations.

Role emphasizes verification of designs, real-time safety-critical software, cybersecurity, risk assessment, and audits across the lifecycle. Security clearance may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in software, computer, or electrical engineering, or computer science; a master’s degree is preferred.
• 5 or more years of relevant experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good knowledge of C/C++ and VHDL.
• Highly motivated and enthusiastic, with a positive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Review system-level designs and perform software architecture, requirements, and coding verification activities.
• Review and oversee multiple stages of safety-critical, real-time software design, development, and testing.
• Monitor programs to ensure compliance with company and program standards.
• Identify issues and risks and work with the software development team to resolve them.
• Chair software non-conformance reviews and ensure the implementation of effective corrective actions.
• Ensure the incorporation of software reliability, fault tolerance, and maintainability features.
• Participate in milestone reviews, including chairing software Test Readiness Reviews.
• Perform in-process and phase-end audits and surveys, identify risks, and agree on corrective actions.
• Perform software safety analyses, as required.
• Perform software subcontractor audits, as required.
• Assess software cybersecurity risks and ensure cybersecurity requirements are incorporated.
• Contribute to software AI&T activities by ensuring preparation, review, and compliance of procedures and test configurations.
• Support satellite mission assurance activities by assessing impact of software anomalies on performance and reliability.
• Oversee software problem resolution process ensuring root causes are identified and regression tests performed.
• Identify process improvements to increase quality, productivity, efficiency, and cost savings.

Skills

C/C++

VHDL

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in software/CS/EE

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space is a trusted mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450 missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The global MDA Space team of more than 4 000 space experts has the knowledge and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission – bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and wide-eyed wonder that’s been in our DNA since day one. For those who dream big and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the better, we’ll take you there. For more information, visit www.mda.space.

Role

Provide technical and administrative direction and oversight to ensure that software quality and its development process comply with program requirements and standards. The SW PA is part of exciting satellite constellation project teams, and the SW PA is involved in the assembly, integration, and test environment activities, as well as providing support to on-orbit operations. This role directly helps turn mission-critical software into reliable, launch-ready space capabilities that perform throughout the satellite mission lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Review system-level designs and perform software architecture, requirements, and coding verification activities.
• Review and oversee multiple stages of safety-critical, real-time software design, development, and testing.
• Monitor programs to ensure compliance with company and program standards.
• Identify issues and risks and work with the software development team to resolve them.
• Chair software non-conformance reviews and ensure the implementation of effective corrective actions.
• Ensure the incorporation of software reliability, fault tolerance, and maintainability features.
• Participate in milestone reviews, including chairing software Test Readiness Reviews.
• Perform in-process and phase-end audits and surveys, identify risks, and agree on corrective actions.
• Perform software safety analyses, as required.
• Perform software subcontractor audits, as required.
• Assess software cybersecurity risks and ensure that cybersecurity requirements, secure development practices, vulnerability management, and verification activities are appropriately incorporated throughout the software lifecycle.
• Contribute to software AI&T activities by ensuring the preparation, review, and compliance of procedures, scripts, test configurations, results, and software anomalies associated with satellite assembly, integration, and test phases.
• Support satellite mission assurance activities by assessing the impact of software anomalies on performance, availability, reliability, launch readiness, and mission objectives, and by participating in technical decisions related to mission risk.
• Oversee software problem resolution process by ensuring that the root cause is identified that regression tests are performed and that correct activities have been performed for the closure of the problem.
• Identify process improvements to increase quality, productivity, efficiency, and cost savings.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in software, computer, or electrical engineering, or computer science; a master’s degree is preferred.
• 5 or more years of relevant experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good knowledge of C/C++ and VHDL.
• Highly motivated and enthusiastic, with a positive attitude.

Desired Skills/Experience

• Previous experience in software product assurance or quality assurance.
• Previous experience with one of the following: MIL / NASA / ESA software and software quality assurance standards.
• Experience in the development or testing of real-time, safety-critical software solutions.
• Experience with real-time embedded software.
• Experience with automated testing / scripting.
• Experience with Agile development, including continuous integration and build automation.

Comments/Special Considerations

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the SECRET status level II, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

We’re a dream team of purpose-driven, collaborative and passionate people, and we are constantly looking for others to join #TeamMDA to ignite new and innovative approaches to problem-solving that push us forward to improve life on and above Earth. If you’re excited to expand our place in space and driven to inspire the next generation, we’ll take you there.

MDA welcomes all who yearn to suit up and be part of it. An equal opportunity employer prizing diversity, integrity and collaboration, we are committed to growing MDA’s and Canada’s leadership in this next golden age.

MDA provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including; extended healthcare and flexible drug plans, dental and vision benefits, disability income protection, life insurance, group retirement savings plans; and an employee and family assistance program.

MDA is proud to provide accommodation(s) during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please indicate this on your application/cover letter and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.