Job Description

Embedded Software DesignerAirborne Optical SystemsBurlington ON – Hybrid

**Please note that to be considered for any position at PV Labs, all candidates must be eligible to meet the requirements of the Canadian Controlled-Goods Program of the Defense Production Act and be able to hold and maintain a Canadian Security Clearance. If you are not clear about your eligibility, please consult the Government of Canada website HERE**

About the Role

This is not a narrow, stay-in-your-lane software role.

As an Embedded Software Designer at PVLabs, you design and build real-time software systems that sit at the core of our airborne optical platforms. Your work spans the full lifecycle—architecture, design, implementation, verification, debug, deployment, and long-term evolution—of software that directly controls flight-proven, stabilized gimbals and ISR payloads.

We treat software as a product, not a by-product. Our architecture is modular, component-driven, and intentionally designed for change. Youll work on distributed, multi-processor real-time systems where clarity, testability, and long-term maintainability matter as much as raw performance. Monolithic codebases and just make it work thinking dont survive here.

You'll collaborate closely with systems, electrical, mechanical, and optical engineers—not as support, but as a peer—bringing software judgment to the table as we solve hard problems in stabilization, sensing, and control within demanding operational environments.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Reporting to the VP, New Product Introduction, and working closely with Program and Project leads, you will:

Architect, design, implement, and verify complex real-time embedded software in C++ (with some legacy C) across multi-processor systems
Actively participate in—and often lead—design and code reviews with a critical, constructive mindset
Work with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure requirements are understood, documented, and traceable
Develop software aligned with military-class development and verification standards
Maintain source control, build artifacts, and package integrity to meet both internal and customer expectations
Contribute to—and improve—our engineering standards, knowledge bases, and development workflows

Technical Skills You'll Need

Strong C++ and C experience in real-time embedded systems
Multi-process and multi-threaded application development
Embedded development on microcontroller and FPGA SoC platforms
Proficiency with debugging tools (e.g., GDB)
Comfort in Linux-based, command-line development environments
Experience with common embedded communication protocols (UART, I²C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet)
Scripting with Bash and Python; fluent with Git
Ability to read and understand electrical schematics

High-Value (Nice-to-Have) Skills

Board Support Package (BSP) porting to new hardware
Linux driver development
Designing for aircraft safety and certification constraints
GPU architecture and CUDA programming
MATLAB experience

About You as an Embedded Software Engineer

At PVLabs, how we work matters as much as what we build.

Were looking for engineers who combine deep technical skill with professional maturity and strong judgment. Youre curious, detail-driven, and motivated by solving hard problems properly—not just quickly.

About You:

Bring creativity, curiosity, and a disciplined approach to problem-solving
Step into ownership naturally and arent afraid to lead when needed
Communicate technical ideas clearly—and know when to ask for help
Take a continuous-improvement mindset to code, process, and tooling
Participate in requirements development and provide realistic cost and schedule estimates
Drive design and code reviews rather than observing from the sidelines
Give and receive feedback constructively—we succeed as a team
Prefer small, highly communicative teams over rigid silos
Manage your time and priorities with professionalism and autonomy

Qualifications

Eligibility to meet Controlled Goods Program requirements and hold a Canadian Security Clearance
Degree or technical diploma in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience

What's in It for You

You'll work on real, fielded technology: stabilized electro-mechanical platforms, high-speed motion control, camera and lens systems, real-time video pipelines, distributed I/O, and advanced laser-enabled payloads. These systems operate in demanding ISR environments where precision and reliability matter.

You'll join a team of engineers with serious technical depth and the autonomy to do meaningful work. We value Mastery, Autonomy, and Purpose, and we strive for Resiliency, Innovation, and Productivity in everything we build.

We move fast. We build complicated, expensive things that fly. We don't do ego—we do execution. If you want hands-on impact, technical ownership, and work that genuinely matters, PVLabs is where you'll find it.

PVLabs

Open Positions

Embedded Software Engineer - Airborne Stabilized Optical Systems