Location: Calgary / Canada

Category: Software & hardware

Role Overview

We are looking for a Hardware Developer to design, validate, and support rugged embedded hardware used in industrial IoT, heavy equipment monitoring, wireless mesh networking, and remote asset connectivity.

This role involves hands-on electronics design for Linux-based IoT gateways, vehicle-mounted devices, wireless routers, sensor interfaces, CAN/J1939 systems, RF modules, power systems, and industrial communication interfaces. The ideal candidate is comfortable taking hardware from concept through schematic design, PCB layout review, prototype bring-up, validation, certification support, and production handoff.

Our products are deployed in harsh environments such as mining, forestry, construction, energy, and remote industrial sites, so reliability, serviceability, EMC performance, power protection, and field troubleshooting are critical.

Location: Calgary, AB (in office)

Compensation: 60K to 100K

Key Responsibilities

Hardware Design & Development Design embedded hardware for rugged industrial IoT devices, gateways, routers, and vehicle-mounted systems. Create schematics for power, digital, analog, RF, sensor, and communication interfaces. Select components for performance, availability, cost, lifecycle, ruggedness, and manufacturability. Work with SoCs, MCUs, cellular modems, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth modules, GNSS modules, CAN transceivers, Ethernet PHYs, USB hubs, sensors, power supplies, and protection circuits. Design for industrial input power, load dump, reverse polarity, surge, ESD, EMI/EMC, vibration, temperature, and field wiring conditions. Support PCB layout by providing placement guidance, stack-up requirements, impedance control, grounding strategy, RF layout guidance, and design reviews. Review and improve existing hardware designs for reliability, manufacturability, and field performance.

Embedded Interfaces & Vehicle Connectivity

Design and validate interfaces for heavy equipment and industrial machines. Support CAN, J1939, OBD-II, J1708, RS232, RS485, digital inputs, analog inputs, ignition sense, relays, and sensor inputs. Design robust input protection for noisy vehicle and industrial environments. Validate communication interfaces using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, CAN tools, protocol analyzers, and test fixtures. Work with firmware and software teams to bring up peripherals and resolve hardware/software integration issues. Support machine-specific installation requirements, harnessing, connectors, and field wiring practices.

Wireless & RF Hardware

Integrate wireless technologies including LTE/cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GNSS, Wi-Fi HaLow, 433 MHz receivers, and optional mesh radios. Support antenna selection, RF path design, coax routing, connector selection, RF switch/diversity considerations, and enclosure constraints. Validate wireless performance, antenna placement, signal integrity, and RF coexistence. Work with external labs or partners for RF testing, certification, and compliance. Help troubleshoot real-world RF problems related to antennas, cables, grounding, enclosures, installation location, and vehicle mounting.

Power Architecture & Protection

Design and validate power systems for 12 V / 24 V vehicle and industrial environments. Support DC/DC converters, LDOs, battery charging, fuel gauges, power muxing, backup power, ignition control, sleep modes, and power sequencing. Validate brownout behavior, startup, shutdown, transient response, thermal performance, and recovery after power faults. Design and test protection for surge, ESD, reverse polarity, overvoltage, undervoltage, load dump, short circuit, and field miswiring. Support low-power design for asset tracking and battery-backed devices where required.

Prototype Bring-Up & Debugging

Bring up new prototype boards and validate all major hardware functions. Debug issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters, power supplies, thermal cameras, and serial/JTAG tools. Work closely with embedded software engineers during board bring-up. Create bring-up checklists, test procedures, and engineering validation plans. Investigate production failures, field returns, intermittent hardware issues, and design weaknesses. Recommend design changes based on test results and field observations.

Design Verification & Compliance

Create and execute hardware validation plans for new and existing products. Perform electrical, thermal, RF, environmental, and reliability testing. Support EMC/EMI, ESD, safety, radio, cellular, and regional certification activities. Prepare documentation and samples for certification labs. Support compliance requirements for industrial and international markets. Ensure hardware designs meet internal reliability and field deployment requirements.

Manufacturing & Production Support

Create and maintain hardware documentation including schematics, BOMs, assembly notes, test procedures, and design change records. Support contract manufacturers during prototype builds, pilot builds, and production ramp. Define production test requirements and help build test fixtures. Review manufacturing issues, component substitutions, yield problems, and quality concerns. Work with operations and suppliers to manage component availability, lifecycle, and alternate parts. Support failure analysis for returned units and production defects.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering, or related field. 3+ years of experience designing embedded electronics, industrial electronics, IoT hardware, telematics devices, wireless devices, or similar products. Strong schematic design experience. Experience reviewing PCB layouts and providing layout guidance. Experience with digital interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, USB, Ethernet, SDIO, GPIO, and ADC. Experience with power supply design and validation. Experience with board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation. Comfortable using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, power supplies, and lab equipment. Ability to read datasheets, application notes, reference designs, and certification requirements. Strong documentation and troubleshooting skills. Ability to work closely with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, and field teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with rugged industrial, automotive, mining, forestry, construction, agriculture, oil & gas, or heavy equipment products. Experience with 12 V / 24 V vehicle power systems, surge protection, load dump protection, reverse polarity protection, and ignition-controlled power. Experience with CAN, J1939, OBD-II, J1708, RS232, RS485, Ethernet, USB, and industrial I/O. Experience integrating LTE/cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GNSS, Wi-Fi HaLow, or sub-GHz RF modules. Experience with antenna selection, RF layout, RF cables, coax connectors, grounding, and wireless troubleshooting. Experience with embedded Linux hardware platforms, Qualcomm, Quectel, NXP, Microchip, ST, Espressif, or similar platforms. Experience with battery charging, fuel gauges, low-power design, and backup power systems. Experience with EMC/EMI, ESD, environmental, safety, and radio certification testing. Experience with Altium Designer, KiCad, OrCAD, Cadence, or similar ECAD tools. Experience supporting contract manufacturers and production test fixtures. Experience with DFM, DFT, DFMEA, component lifecycle management, and alternate part qualification.

Useful Technical Skills

The ideal candidate may have experience with some of the following: Embedded hardware design Industrial IoT gateways Vehicle Telematics Hardware Linux-based embedded platforms Cellular modems and SIM interfaces Wi-Fi/Bluetooth modules GNSS modules CAN/J1939 hardware RS232/RS485 interfaces Ethernet PHYs and magnetics USB hubs and high-speed layout SDIO, SPI, I2C, UART ADCs and analog front ends IMUs and sensors 433 MHz / sub-GHz receivers Battery chargers and fuel gauges DC/DC converters and power sequencing ESD, surge, transient, and load-dump protection RF antenna integration EMC/EMI troubleshooting Environmental and thermal testing Production test fixture design

Example Projects

The Hardware Developer may be expected to work on projects such as: Designing the next generation of rugged vehicle-mounted IoT gateways. Improving power protection for 12 V / 24 V industrial vehicle installations. Integrating LTE, Wi-Fi, GNSS, Wi-Fi HaLow, or 433 MHz receivers into embedded devices. Debugging USB, Ethernet, CAN, or power issues on prototype boards. Designing sensor and I/O interfaces for heavy equipment monitoring. Supporting certification testing for radio, EMC, safety, or regional approvals. Building production test fixtures for gateways, routers, and sensor modules. Investigating field failures from mining or forestry deployments. Improving hardware reliability based on real-world installation feedback. Supporting component substitutions due to supply chain constraints.

Soft Skills

Strong ownership mindset. Practical problem-solving approach. High attention to detail. Ability to debug ambiguous hardware problems. Clear written and verbal communication. Comfortable working in a fast-moving product development environment.

SYMX.AI is looking for a Test Engineer – Embedded IoT, Wireless Mesh & Heavy Equipment Systems to join our growing team to help build the next level of our cutting-edge IoT products.SYMX.AI is looking for a Field Service Engineer – Industrial IoT, Wireless Mesh & Heavy Equipment Systems to join our growing team to help build the next level of our cutting-edge IoT products. Privacy policy