Job Description

Actalent is hiring a firmware engineer to work with one of our leading telecommunications clients in the Ottawa area!
Even if you're not a perfect fit for this role, feel free to apply. I will try to get back to every single applicant!
Job Title: Firmware Engineer

The project involves the development and maintenance of a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) module, a compact yet highly complex product used in telecom networks. This module converts electrical signals to optical signals and switches them across multiple wavelengths in optical networks, commonly deployed in ROADMs (Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexers). The work is part of the traditional telecom business unit, focusing on low-level software design for real-time systems with small memory footprints. The software will be developed primarily in C, targeting real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as FreeRTOS or SysBIOS. The design requires strong knowledge of multithreading concepts, synchronization mechanisms (mutexes, semaphores), and interrupt handling. The role also involves working with low-level device drivers for interfaces like SPI, I2C, and UART. The team will design new features from scratch, fix bugs, and enhance existing products, ensuring optimal performance for real-time optical switching algorithms.
Responsibilities

• Design and implement low-level software in C for real-time embedded systems.
• Develop and modify device drivers for SPI, I2C, and UART interfaces.
• Implement multithreaded designs using RTOS concepts (mutex, semaphore, interrupts).
• Write new software features and maintain existing WSS module products.
• Perform bug fixes and enhancements as assigned through Jira.
• Participate in scrum meetings and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Communicate technical concepts clearly and effectively.
• Conduct debugging and testing in the lab (approximately 25% of time).
• Validate algorithms for optical port switching in real-time environments.

Essential Skills

• 10+ years of experience in multi-threading.
• Proficiency in Embedded C.
• Experience with RTOS.
• Device Driver Development.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Knowledge of optical telecommunications (DWDM/Optical Amplifiers/ROADMs).
• Experience with Linux, SYSBIOS, FreeRTOS or other embedded OS software development.
• Understanding of hardware devices such as ADCs/DACs/Clocks/UART/FPGAs.
• Low level software development (Endianness/Bit Masking/Mutual Exclusion).
• Experience with interfacing to embedded devices via interfaces such as I2C, SPI, dual port RAM, RS-232.
• Cross compiling/remote debugging.
• JTAG debugging.
• Ability to use a schematic to understand how electronic devices are connected.

Work Environment
On-site work is preferred in Nepean, Ontario.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Nepean, Ontario.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $65.00/hr.
Workplace Type
This is a hybrid position in Nepean,ON.
A propos d'Actalent:
Actalent est un chef de file mondial des services d'ingenierie et de sciences et des solutions de talents. Nous aidons les entreprises visionnaires a faire progresser leurs initiatives en matiere d'ingenierie et de science en leur donnant acces a des experts specialises qui favorisent la mise a l'echelle, l'innovation et la mise en marche rapide. Avec un reseau de pres de 30 000 consultants et plus de 4 500 clients aux Etats-Unis, au Canada, en Asie et en Europe, Actalent est au service d'un grand nombre d'entreprises du classement Fortune 500.
Actalent est un employeur souscrivant au principe de l'egalite des chances et accepte toutes les candidatures sans tenir compte de la race, du sexe, de l'age, de la couleur, de la religion, des origines nationales, du statut d'ancien combattant, d'un handicap, de l'orientation sexuelle, de l'identite sexuelle, des renseignements genetiques ou de toute autre caracteristique protegee par la loi.
Si vous souhaitez faire une demande d'accommodement raisonnable, tel que la modification ou l'ajustement du processus de demande d'emploi ou d'entrevue a cause d'un handicap, veuillez envoyer un courriel a pour connaitre d'autres options d'accommodement.
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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 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 for other accommodation options.

Skills Required