Principal Engineer – Embedded Systems Integration in Québec

Balko Technologies is a Quebec-based company that designs and develops modular, interoperable data capture systems for drones, ground vehicles, and maritime platforms. Our multidisciplinary team pushes the boundaries of data acquisition and fusion in the energy, infrastructure, natural resources, public safety, and defence sectors. Our mission is to democratize data capture through intelligent, modular systems designed and developed entirely in Canada.

Join Balko to design, integrate, and evolve the embedded systems at the heart of our products, from development through validation and production release.

Your role as Principal Engineer - Embedded Systems Integration will involve:

• Defining and evolving the architecture of embedded hardware platforms, including computing platforms, electronics, power systems, memory, storage, communication interfaces, sensor connectivity, and interactions with other subsystems.
• Bringing up and making developed platforms operational, including initial firmware, board support packages, operating system startup and configuration, hardware drivers, peripherals, and the communication interfaces required for platform operation.
• Delivering stable and validated reference hardware configurations to software and algorithm teams, along with the tools, configurations, and technical information they need to efficiently develop, test, and integrate their capabilities.
• Designing and overseeing electronic integration, including the selection of components and computing platforms, schematics, printed circuit boards, power systems, interfaces, wiring, and other elements required to build prototypes and products.
• Designing communication and data-flow architectures to meet throughput, latency, synchronization, or real-time requirements.
• Anticipating future computing and data-management needs, particularly for artificial intelligence, data fusion, and onboard processing applications.
• Defining and overseeing hardware validation of the platforms, including debugging, functional and performance testing, interface characterization, integration testing, and identification of operating limits and margins.
• Providing technical leadership for the R&D - Electronics Engineering team: setting direction and priorities, assigning responsibilities, leading technical reviews, supporting design decisions, and fostering the development of team capabilities.
• Working closely with software, mechanical, geomatics, and production teams to ensure that hardware platforms support the system as a whole and can evolve efficiently from prototype to robust, manufacturable, and maintainable products.
• Maintaining rigorous technical documentation of architectures, interfaces, reference configurations, design decisions, bring-up procedures, and validation results.

Profile we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, electronics, computer engineering, or a related discipline; membership in the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ), or eligibility to become a member.
• Significant experience developing electronic products and complex embedded systems, including demonstrated responsibility for architecture, integration, or technical leadership.
• Strong understanding of architectures combining electronics, embedded processors or computers, microcontrollers, operating systems, firmware, peripherals, and communication interfaces.
• Hands-on experience in electronic design, prototyping, bring-up, integration, debugging, and validation of embedded platforms.
• Experience developing and debugging embedded software, particularly in C/C++, as well as with Python or similar tools.
• Strong command of the main interfaces and communication protocols used in embedded systems.
• Ability to work at the hardware-software interface and understand the constraints that architecture decisions impose on applications, data flows, and overall system performance.
• Ability to analyze complex technical problems, manage engineering trade-offs, and make well-documented architecture decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical direction and mentorship to a team while encouraging autonomy and accountability.
• Rigour in documenting architectures, interfaces, configurations, and validation results.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines, suppliers, and partners.
• Bilingual proficiency in French and English, both spoken and written.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada Secret security clearance.

What we offer:

• Take on a leading technical role with direct influence on the architecture of the next generations of Balko products.
• Lead an R&D team while remaining actively involved in design, bring-up, integration, and testing.
• Design the hardware platforms on which Balko’s next software, algorithm, and artificial intelligence capabilities will be developed.
• Work on systems combining electronics, embedded computing, sensors, navigation, communications, software, and advanced data processing.
• Benefit from a comprehensive insurance plan and flexible work schedule.
• Enjoy a hybrid work arrangement adapted to prototyping and integration needs.
• Receive a public transit allowance or take advantage of convenient on-site parking.
• Use a company laptop and have the option to set up an ergonomic workstation.
• Receive a financial contribution toward your sports membership, enjoy free unlimited coffee at the office, and more!

Join Balko Technologies and help build the next generations of intelligent systems developed in Canada.