Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer, Satellite Systems

Photon-IV Inc. | Waterloo Region, Ontario (Hybrid) | Full-time

About Photon-IV

Photon-IV is a Canadian defence technology company building the missing layer in resilient communications. Our AI-driven software predicts link degradation across satellite, terrestrial and mesh networks and keeps autonomous and mission systems connected before the link drops. We ship as O-RAN xApps and rApps and on our own edge communications node, and we work with Ericsson, the Canadian Space Agency and the Department of National Defence.

The role

You will be the technical lead for Photon-IV's satellite systems software. You will own the architecture that connects our prediction engine to LEO, MEO and GEO satellite links and to 3GPP NTN. You will set the engineering bar for the team, work directly with the founder on product direction, and take systems from lab validation to field deployment with defence and telecom partners.

What you'll do

• Architect and build the software that integrates satellite and terrestrial networks (TN-NTN), from link modelling to real-time handover and orchestration

• Lead design of our O-RAN xApps and rApps for NTN use cases, including integration with near-RT and non-RT RICs

• Develop link-prediction pipelines using orbital mechanics, ephemeris, channel and telemetry data, together with our AI/ML team

• Own performance, reliability and security for software running on edge hardware in contested and bandwidth-limited environments

• Lead integration and testing with partners at labs such as CENGN, and support field trials

• Mentor engineers, run design reviews, and set coding, testing and documentation standards

• Contribute technical content to proposals, patents and government programs (IDEaS, CSA, NATO DIANA)

What you bring

• 7+ years in software engineering, with at least 5 on satellite communications, space ground segment, or wireless network systems

• Strong C++ and/or Python, with production experience on Linux-based real-time or embedded systems

• Deep understanding of SATCOM link budgets, orbital dynamics, Doppler and latency effects, and beam and handover management

• Experience with 3GPP NTN (Rel-17 and later), 5G core or RAN, or O-RAN architecture

• A record of leading the architecture of complex systems from concept to deployment

• Comfort in a startup: you set direction, write code, and ship

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident, eligible for Government of Canada security clearance

Nice to have

• Experience with LEO constellations (Starlink, OneWeb, Telesat Lightspeed, Kuiper) or NTN IoT operators

• ML-driven network optimization or predictive analytics

• Defence programs, MIL-STD environments, or work under ITAR or the Controlled Goods Program

• Experience with SDR (GNU Radio, srsRAN, OpenAirInterface) or drone mesh networking

• An existing Canadian security clearance

Why Photon-IV

• Define the satellite software architecture of a company at the core of Canada's sovereign resilient-communications push

• Real deployments with Tier-1 telecom, space and defence partners

• Meaningful equity in an early-stage company

• A small, senior team with direct access to the founder and no layers of process

How to apply

Apply through LinkedIn or email [email protected] with your resume and a short note on the hardest satellite or network system you've built.

Only applicants eligible for Canadian security clearance will be considered. Photon-IV is an equal opportunity employer.