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Principal Defence Systems Engineer

skywatchOttawa ON | HybridEngineering | Government | Defence
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Salary
Not listed
Job type
Full-time
Experience
Principal · 10+ yrs
Posted
30 Sept 2026
Status
Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

SkyWatch is hiring a Principal Defence Systems Engineer to lead the creation of a sovereign platform for Canadian defence and government environments in Ottawa with hybrid work options. This founding technical role suits an experienced systems architect with a background in secure or defence software who wants to build and guide a new engineering team from the ground up.

Role Overview

SkyWatch seeks its first technical owner and founding hire for the new Ottawa engineering team to deliver a sovereign version of the platform. The position involves designing architecture for private-cloud, on-premises, and air-gapped deployments, achieving government accreditation, and integrating AI agents within security boundaries. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role shapes the roadmap, establishes technical acceptance milestones, and builds a team of engineers and co-op students.

Key Responsibilities

Own the sovereign architecture, covering deployment across private-cloud, on-premises, and air-gapped environments, secure multi-tenant distribution, and end-to-end security design.
Lead technical evidence gathering for security assessment and authorization, including ITSG-33 controls at Protected B with built-in audit and logging.
Ensure a high standard of user experience for analysts and operators working under time pressure or in disconnected settings.
Deliver interoperability with tactical dissemination, defence data standards, GIS, and TAK environments.
Integrate AI agents over sovereign data with trace retention, human-in-the-loop workflows, and evaluations of answer quality and latency.
Run the product roadmap and software development lifecycle for the government and defence line while serving as the technical acceptance authority.
Build, lead, and grow the Ottawa engineering team and manage a co-op mentorship programme with local universities.

Requirements

Ten or more years of experience building production software, including at least three years as a principal, architect, or technical lead on secure or defence systems.
Hands-on experience with on-premises, private-cloud, or air-gapped deployments, alongside security assessment and authorization frameworks like ITSG-33 or NIST 800-53.
Proven track record leading an engineering team through milestone-based delivery to a government customer.
Experience designing usable software for analysts or operators that can be discussed at an unclassified level.
Ability to make business-driven trade-offs regarding delivery costs, code reuse, and time to market.
Canadian citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada security clearance at the Secret level or higher.

Nice to Have

Experience with geospatial, imagery, or ISR data and defence interoperability standards.
Experience deploying large language model or agent systems in regulated environments.

Skills and Tools

Private-cloud, on-premises, and air-gapped deployment systems
ITSG-33 and NIST 800-53 security controls
Defence data standards including NITF, NSIF, SIDD, GeoPackage, and STANAG 4559
Common operating picture, GIS, and TAK environments
LLMs, AI agents, and trace retention systems

Salary and Benefits

Indicative base salary ranging from CA$200,000 to CA$240,000, determined by experience and clearance level
Stock options
Health benefits
Hybrid or on-site work arrangement based in Ottawa

About the Company

SkyWatch specializes in making earth observation data accessible and useful globally by aggregating satellite data sources into a scalable platform. The company emphasizes simplicity, dependability, and empathy in its workplace culture and product development.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please visit the official SkyWatch careers page.

Skills and tech stack

NITFNSIFSIDDGeoPackageSTANAG 4559GISTAKLLMsAI agentsLLM

Questions candidates ask

What is the location of this job?

This role is based in Ottawa, Ontario, with hybrid work options available.

What security clearance is required for this position?

Candidates must be Canadian citizens and eligible to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada security clearance at the Secret level or higher.

What is the salary range for the Principal Defence Systems Engineer?

The indicative base salary ranges from CA$200,000 to CA$240,000, depending on experience and clearance.

How many years of experience are required?

Applicants need 10+ years of production software building experience, with at least 3+ years specifically as a principal, architect, or technical lead on secure or defence systems.

What additional benefits are included with the compensation?

The compensation package includes a base salary, stock options, and health benefits.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official skywatch careers page.

Apply on company site