Senior Automation Engineer

Job Title: Automation Engineer in Ottawa

Job Description

This Automation Engineer role focuses on building Python-based test automation and infrastructure for a next-generation embedded platform supporting future vehicle technologies. You will own automation development during early-stage hardware and board bring-up, working at the low-level operating system and board support package (BSP) layer rather than the application layer. The position offers significant influence over automation strategy, tooling, and scalable test infrastructure in an evolving environment where requirements are still being defined. You will collaborate across multiple engineering organizations to enable broader team productivity through robust automation solutions and low-level validation.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop Python-based automation frameworks to support embedded platform validation and board bring-up activities.
• Build, maintain, and extend reusable automation libraries and APIs that enable efficient test development and execution.
• Develop automated test scripts targeting embedded Linux and QNX-based environments, focusing on low-level operating system and BSP layers.
• Support board bring-up efforts, including low-level validation, firmware-layer testing, and hardware/software integration activities.
• Analyze failure logs from embedded systems, identify root causes, and troubleshoot complex low-level issues across software and hardware boundaries.
• Perform BSP and firmware troubleshooting to validate board support packages and ensure reliable platform behavior.
• Coordinate testing and automation activities with multiple engineering teams, including local development groups, offshore resources, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Identify gaps in requirements, ask clarifying questions, and help define automation approaches in a program where specifications are still evolving.
• Serve as a hands-on technical contributor while providing technical leadership, helping unblock teams and drive technical progress in board bring-up and test automation.
• Contribute to the design and establishment of scalable test infrastructure and automation practices that support future platform development and broader team success.
• Interact directly with hardware, including embedded boards and bring-up environments, to validate functionality and support integration testing.
• Apply log analysis techniques, debugging skills, and troubleshooting best practices to continuously improve test coverage and automation effectiveness.
  
  

Essential Skills

• Minimum 6+ years of embedded software test automation or closely related automation experience.
• Strong Python automation development skills, including the ability to design and build automation frameworks from scratch.
• Hands-on experience with embedded Linux or QNX environments, ideally including work with hypervisors.
• Board bring-up experience, with at least one full board bring-up preferred, covering early hardware validation and low-level software integration.
• Proficiency in BSP and firmware-layer troubleshooting, focusing on low-level hardware/software integration issues.
• Demonstrated strength in failure log analysis and debugging, with the ability to resolve complex embedded system issues.
• Hands-on hardware experience, including direct interaction with embedded boards and bring-up environments.
• At least 1+ years of technical leadership experience, such as leading or coordinating technical activities across teams.
• Experience with test automation frameworks and firmware testing in embedded environments.
• Strong skills in log analysis and troubleshooting within embedded and automation contexts.
• Understanding of automotive protocols, including CAN messages, and their role in embedded vehicle systems.
• Low-level Linux expertise, particularly in device driver development and debugging.
• Exposure to virtual device drivers and low-level development in virtualized or hypervisor-based environments.
• Ability to work independently in an exploratory role, identify gaps in requirements, and proactively drive automation solutions.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills for working with local and offshore engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders.
  
  

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Qualcomm boards or similar embedded platforms, providing familiarity with complex hardware environments.
• Practical awareness and use of AI tools and agents to enhance automation, analysis, or development workflows.
• Prior experience in automotive or vehicle technology domains, especially in embedded platform validation and automation.
• Experience in embedded firmware testing and hardware/software integration for complex systems.
• Experience contributing to the establishment of new automation strategies, tooling, and test infrastructure rather than only maintaining existing frameworks.
• Ability to act as both a hands-on engineer and a technical leader, influencing automation practices and enabling team success.
• Comfort working in fast-moving, highly collaborative environments where requirements and platform capabilities are still being defined.
• Experience coordinating with offshore teams and managing cross-time-zone collaboration in engineering projects.
  
  

Work Environment

The role is based in Ottawa, Ontario, with onsite attendance required four days per week to support close collaboration with local development teams and direct interaction with embedded hardware. You will work in a highly collaborative and fast-moving environment focused on embedded platform validation, automation development, and board bring-up for next-generation vehicle technologies. The team operates primarily with embedded Linux and QNX environments, board support packages, firmware-level integration, and hardware bring-up tooling. You will engage regularly with local engineers and may coordinate work with an offshore team in Vietnam, as well as various cross-functional stakeholders involved in platform bring-up activities. This is an agency contract engagement, offering the opportunity to shape new automation strategies, tooling, and scalable test infrastructure from the ground up, while working in a technically challenging, early-stage platform development setting.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Ottawa, ON.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $70.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Ottawa,ON.

À propos d'Actalent

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

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Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.