Senior Electrical Engineer (Unmanned Air Vehicle Electronics)

Position Title: Senior Electrical Engineer (Unmanned Air Vehicle Electronics) Company: Robotics Centre Location: Kanata, Ontario (Ottawa Area) Employment Type: Full time Reporting To: VP Engineering

About Robotics Centre

Robotics Centre is an Ottawa based advanced technology company launching domestic manufacturing of defence focused unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Kanata, Ontario. We design and build secure, mission critical drone platforms intended for government, defence, and public safety applications.

Position Overview

Robotics Centre is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer with deep experience in drone and embedded electronics development to lead the design and delivery of next‑generation UAV systems. This role is ideal for an engineer who thrives at the intersection of system architecture, detailed circuit design, and hands‑on validation, and who enjoys mentoring others and collaborating across disciplines.

You will play a key role in defining electrical architectures, designing flight‑critical electronics, and supporting products from concept through production.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the electrical design and architecture of drone and UAV electronic systems, including:

Microcontroller and Microprocessor selection

Power distribution and management

Motor control and ESC integration

Sensor systems (IMU, GPS, cameras, LiDAR, environmental sensors)

RF, telemetry, and communication subsystems

Analog and digital video

Design, simulate, and review complex schematics and multilayer PCBs for high‑reliability, lightweight embedded systems.

Perform component selection with consideration for performance, availability, lifecycle, and environmental constraints.

Collaborate closely with mechanical, firmware, and systems engineers to ensure cohesive end‑to‑end system integration.

Support prototype bring‑up, debugging, verification, and environmental testing (EMI/EMC, thermal, vibration).

Define and review electrical requirements, test plans, and validation strategies.

Provide technical leadership through design reviews, risk assessments, and mentoring of junior engineers.

Support transition from prototype to low‑ and mid‑volume production, including manufacturing documentation and supplier interactions.

Qualification & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field (Master’s degree considered an asset).

8+years of progressive experience in electrical engineering, with significant exposure to embedded or aerospace‑grade electronics.

Hands‑on experience designing electronics for drones, robotics, aerospace, or similarly constrained embedded systems.

Strong expertise in:

Analog and digital circuit design

Power electronics and battery‑powered systems

High‑speed and/or mixed‑signal PCB design

Proficiency with industry standard ECAD tools (e.g., Altium Designer or equivalent)

Solid understanding of embedded system integration and hardware‑firmware interfaces.

Proficient at debugging complex hardware issues using lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers,etc).

Preferred Assets

Experience with autonomous systems and safety‑critical electronics.

Familiarity with EMI/EMC mitigation techniques and regulatory certification processes.

Exposure to RF design, antennas, or wireless communication protocols.

Experience supporting manufacturing, DFM/DFA, and supplier engagement.

Benefits & Compensation

Robotics Centre offers a competitive and flexible compensation package designed to attract senior leadership talent:

Salary in the range of $90,000 - $150,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Comprehensive health and dental benefits

Opportunities to work on cutting-edge drone and robotics technologies in a collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environment.

Meaningful technical ownership and influence over product direction.

Flexible work culture focused on outcomes and engineering excellence.

You can also apply directly through our website - https://robotics-centre.com/positions/senior-electrical-engineer

Pay: $90,000.00-$150,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person