Staff Software Engineer

Athena by Versaterm; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Versaterm is seeking a Staff Software Engineer focused on Android to shape technical direction across mobile apps. You will lead the Android team, design scalable architectures, and ensure high-quality releases while working with REST/WebRTC integrations and offline-first capabilities.

In addition to strong Kotlin and Jetpack expertise, you will mentor engineers, collaborate with cross-functional partners, and navigate security requirements as a government contractor in Ottawa.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 8 years of Android development experience, with team leadership.
• Proven collaboration and effective problem decomposition.
• Proficiency in Kotlin and Jetpack libraries (CameraX, Compose).
• Experience with asynchronous/reactive programming (Flows/RxJava).
• Familiarity with Firebase (Messaging, Crashlytics).
• Exposure to GitHub or GitLab and CI/CD tooling.
• Ability to explain technical concepts to varied stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic guidance and mentorship to Android engineers.
• Lead design and architecture of complex Android apps for scalability.
• Collaborate with partners to align tech solutions with business goals.
• Maintain offline-first capabilities and integrate backend REST/WebRTC services.
• Adapt to multiple hardware configurations, from smartphones to headless devices.
• Oversee CI/CD pipelines and release processes for continuous delivery.
• Document app architecture and development standards.

Skills

Android development

Technical lead

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

CameraX

RxJava/Flows

Firebase

GitHub/GitLab

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Android Studio

CI/CD pipelines

REST APIs

WebRTC

ArcGIS/Mapbox

IoT integration

Job description

The CompanyVersaterm is a PE-backed, high-growth SaaS company building a fully integrated platform across the entire public safety ecosystem — dispatch, law enforcement, forensics, courts, and beyond. We've grown through strategic acquisitions and deep product investment. What connects all of it is a single purpose: give public safety agencies the tools and insights to make better decisions in high-stakes moments.

The CompanyVersaterm is a PE-backed, high-growth SaaS company building a fully integrated platform across the entire public safety ecosystem — dispatch, law enforcement, forensics, courts, and beyond. We've grown through strategic acquisitions and deep product investment. What connects all of it is a single purpose: give public safety agencies the tools and insights to make better decisions in high-stakes moments. When a 911 call is answered, a detective investigates a case, or a forensic lab processes evidence, there's a good chance our software is working behind the scenes. That's been true for over four decades. AI is central to where we're going. Not as a feature but as core infrastructure. We're embedding intelligence directly into the workflows our customers rely on every day, and we're doing it alongside them. Our customers tell us what the mission demands. We build what answers it. This work attracts a specific kind of person — someone who wants to be pushed by great people, build things that outlast a sprint cycle, and go home knowing the work connected back to something real.

The Role

The Staff Software Engineer specializes in mobile app development and is responsible for driving the team’s technical direction, fostering innovation, and ensuring the highest quality in our development lifecycle. They bring a blend of deep Android expertise, strategic architectural vision, and strong leadership abilities to guide our engineering team toward excellence, from concept through release.

What You Do

• Provide strategic guidance and mentorship to Android engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, code quality, and technical excellence.
• Lead the design and architecture of complex Android apps, ensuring scalability, reliability, and overall performance.
• Implement and utilize robotics to assist the public safety mission, from airborne drones to body-worn cameras.
• Work closely with internal and external partners to align technical solutions with business objectives.
• Integrate with backend services provided through REST, WebRTC, and others while maintaining offline-first capabilities.
• Accommodate a variety of different hardware configurations, from ordinary smartphones to headless single-board computers.
• Stay current with Android platform changes, dependency upgrades, and emerging app technologies.
• Oversee CI/CD pipelines and release processes, driving continuous iteration of automation, tools and practices.
• Ensure comprehensive documentation of app architecture, engineering decisions, and development standards.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications:

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience and training.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in Android development, including experience leading or acting as a technical lead for a team.
• Proven track record of collaboration amongst team members with a focus problem decomposition.
• Passion for reducing customer and engineering friction and eagerness to chase simplicity.
• Proficiency in Kotlin with experience in Jetpack libraries such as CameraX and Compose.
• Solid understanding of asynchronous and reactive programming such as Flows or RxJava.
• Familiarity with the Firebase platform such as Cloud Messaging and Crashlytics.
• Exposure to integrated project management and CI/CD tools such as GitHub or GitLab.
• Ability to articulate technical concepts to a variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Qualifications

• Experience with connected hardware or peripherals such as IoT devices or retail terminals.
• Understanding of online mapping technologies such as ArcGIS or Mapbox.
• Familiarity with networking technologies such as MQTT and WebRTC.
• Experience leading or working on a geographically dispersed engineering team.
• Knowledge of adjacent platform capabilities and limitations such as Fire OS and iOS.
• FAA or Transport Canada remote pilot certification with flight experience.
• Hands-on time leveraging AI tooling in development workflows.

Note: This position requires a security clearance from the Government of Canada. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada and must successfully obtain and maintain a Reliability security clearance. Please note that specific customer contracts may impose additional security verification requirements. Obtaining and maintaining all required security clearances is a condition of employment. For more information on the Government of Canada's security screening process, please visit Public Services and Procurement Canada. Versaterm is committed to fair and equitable compensation that is competitive, consistent, and aligned with the value each role contributes to our organization. The starting salary for this position will be dependent upon many factors, such as the successful candidate’s skills, experience, education, training as well as internal equity, market data, and business needs. In addition to base salary and our comprehensive benefits offering, some roles may also be eligible for variable compensation such as incentive plans or discretionary performance bonuses. AI is central to how Versaterm builds and delivers solutions for our customers. Within Talent Acquisition, we use AI-enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process, helping our team work more efficiently and spend more time connecting with great talent. AI supports our work, but all hiring and employment decisions are made by people. Versaterm is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and a barrier-free workplace. Accommodations are available upon request throughout all stages of the recruitment process and apply to the terms and conditions of employment. For more information, please contact [e-mail].