About Shift Coastal
DESIGN. BUILD. INTEGRATE. DEPLOY. SUSTAIN.
Shift is a Canadian systems integrator building uncrewed maritime systems. We combine surface platforms, sensors, payloads, effectors, autonomy software, communications, and command infrastructure into mission-ready, pan-domain coastal systems, and we deliver the integration, field services, and sustainment to turn that technology into operational capability.
Overview
The Lead Systems Engineer – Marine Autonomy is responsible for guiding the implementation of Shift's autonomy roadmap, coordinating the development and integration of software, sensors, controls, and vessel systems. This is a hands-on leadership role for a senior engineer who will coordinate technical contributors, make architecture decisions, troubleshoot integration issues, and support trials. The role works closely with Product and Autonomy leads at Shift Coastal, coordinates with the R&D Principal Engineer, and includes direct hands-on R&D and technical work.
Duties
· Lead interdisciplinary engineering team for the maritime autonomy platform
· Develop and maintain documentation across the system and subsystem level, including architecture and diagrams, requirements and interfaces, testing and validation, configuration records, risk registers, and release notes
· Lead design reviews, integration reviews, test readiness reviews, and post-trial reviews
· Maintain the product roadmap with product leadership from a systems engineering perspective
· Convert customer needs, field lessons, and operational use cases into technical requirements, acceptance criteria, and test cases
· Support transitions from bench to prototype to release
· Lead R&D and integration of autonomy capabilities with vessel platforms, payloads, communications systems, control hardware, field computers, and operator stations
· Evaluate sensor inputs, including GPS/GNSS, IMU, cameras, AIS, RADAR, LiDAR, and sonar
· Capture and analyze test results, logs, and operator feedback, converting issues into engineering tasks or release blockers
· Coordinate software, firmware, electro-mechanical, networking, payload, and field teams to keep development integrated
· Support Business Development and Product Management with capability descriptions, proposal inputs, and customer briefings
Skills
· Proven leadership experience guiding interdisciplinary engineering teams
· Deep hands-on experience with ROS2 in a production or field-deployed context, plus Python, Linux, MAVLink, and DDS
· Strong background in sensor fusion and computer vision for autonomous or remotely operated systems
· Strong command of systems architecture, requirements definition, interface control, integration planning, verification and validation, test planning, and configuration management
· Ability to lead technical design reviews and translate operational needs into requirements and test cases
· Risk management practice, including risk registers, hazard identification, and safety case development for autonomous or remotely operated systems
· Working knowledge of requirements and lifecycle tools, and familiarity with model-based systems engineering concepts
· Strong technical writing for requirements, interface control documents, test procedures, and release documentation
· Ability to translate between operators, customers, business development, and engineering teams, and present technical material credibly in customer briefings
· Sound judgement on safety, product maturity, technical debt, and field risk, including when to escalate versus decide
· Comfort with ambiguity and prioritization in an early-stage product environment
· Practical field skills, including cabling, connectors, power systems, and diagnosing faults in dockside and at-sea conditions
Knowledge required
· Senior systems engineering experience involving autonomous systems, marine systems, robotics, control systems, embedded systems, or complex field-deployed technology
· Experience with USVs, UAVs, ROVs, autonomous vehicles, marine robotics, defence technology, C4ISR systems, payload integration, or fielded sensor platforms
· Experience with marine trials, regulatory constraints, safety cases, test and evaluation, customer demonstrations, and product commissioning
· Experience developing products from prototype stage into field-ready systems
· Experience supporting proposals, technical sales, government-funded projects, or customer-facing technical briefings
· Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, computer science, mechanical/electrical engineering, mechatronics, naval architecture, robotics, or a related technical field, plus practical experience, given the seniority and leadership demands of this role
· Clean criminal record check and security eligibility
Physical demands or working conditions
Field-based work supporting bench testing, dock testing, and sea trials aboard uncrewed surface vessels in coastal and marine environments, including exposure to variable weather and dockside or marine conditions. May require travel to customer sites, ports, and harbours for demonstrations, commissioning, and field exercises.
Pay: $90,000.00-$140,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
