Software Designer

Job Title: Software Designer

Job Description

The Software Designer will join the System Modeling team responsible for developing and maintaining an advanced engineering software platform that supports resource allocation modeling and end-to-end performance evaluation for a large satellite constellation. In this role, you will design and implement sophisticated algorithms in modern C++, translate complex engineering problems into practical mathematical models, and validate system performance through rigorous analysis and simulation.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and maintain advanced algorithms and optimization methods in modern C++ for the system modeling platform.
• Translate engineering requirements into mathematical models, objective functions, constraints, and implementable solution approaches that can be integrated into production software.
• Select appropriate algorithms and data structures, balancing solution quality, computational complexity, memory usage, and execution time to meet performance and scalability targets.
• Validate algorithm correctness and optimization results using unit tests, representative scenarios, simulation, and comparisons with suitable reference solutions.
• Profile software to identify performance bottlenecks and improve computational efficiency and scalability while preserving numerical accuracy and algorithmic correctness.
• Support resource allocation and constellation performance studies by running analyses, interpreting results, and clearly explaining assumptions, limitations, and engineering trade-offs.
• Develop, analyze, and validate satellite communication link budgets, assess link margins, and use these results to support system modeling and performance evaluations.
• Collaborate closely with System Modeling, Software Development, Quality Assurance, and System Engineering teams to refine requirements, integrate changes, and resolve technical issues.
• Contribute to code reviews, maintain clear and thorough technical documentation, and share knowledge so the broader team can understand, maintain, and extend delivered work.
• Plan and deliver agreed work iteratively, communicate progress, risks, and dependencies early, and respond constructively to feedback from stakeholders and team members.

Essential Skills

• Strong modern C++ development skills, including experience implementing complex algorithms in production-quality code.
• Demonstrated expertise in algorithm design and mathematical optimization, with the ability to translate engineering problems into practical solution approaches.
• Experience with linear or mixed-integer programming, combinatorial optimization, heuristics, or optimization solvers.
• Ability to design and analyze satellite communication link budgets and assess link margins to support system modeling and performance evaluation.
• Proficiency in profiling and optimizing software for computational efficiency, memory usage, and scalability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound technical judgment when evaluating trade-offs and solution alternatives.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts and modeling assumptions to diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborative working style, with experience contributing to multidisciplinary engineering and software development teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Python or MATLAB for algorithm prototyping, analysis, simulation, or automation.
• Experience in algorithmic software development for engineering or scientific applications.
• Familiarity with working on large engineering codebases, including use of continuous integration and parallel computing environments.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and participate effectively in code reviews.
• Interest in long-term consulting engagements supporting major space and engineering programs.

Work Environment

This role is based on site in downtown Ottawa in a professional engineering and software development environment. The standard arrangement is four days in the office each week, with Wednesday as a work-from-home option. You will work closely with cross-functional teams using modern development tools and practices to support a large, long-term space program and a complex satellite system modeling platform.

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

The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $72.00/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.

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

This is a fully onsite position in Ottawa,ON.

Actalent est un leader mondial dans les services dingénierie et de sciences ainsi que dans les solutions de talents. Nous aidons des entreprises visionnaires à faire progresser leurs initiatives dingénierie et de science grâce à laccès à des experts spécialisés qui favorisent léchelle, linnovation et la rapidité de mise sur le marché. Avec un réseau de près de 20 000 consultants et 5 000 clients à travers les États-Unis, le Canada, lAsie et lEurope, Actalent dessert de nombreuses entreprises du Fortune 500. Nous sommes fiers dêtre lune des 500 meilleures firmes de conception de lEngineering News-Record (ENR) pour nos services de conception en ingénierie et un lauréat du prix ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® tant pour le service client que pour les talents.

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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.

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