Systems Design Engineer

Hybrid – Toronto, Canada

A stealth-mode innovator in industrial AI and automation is scaling up and seeking a Systems Design Engineer to lead the architecture and design of intelligent vision systems. This role bridges the gap between machine learning software and real-world factory environments—offering a unique opportunity to define and own end-to-end solutions that deliver meaningful impact in manufacturing optimization, safety, and quality assurance.

This is a hybrid opportunity for candidates located in the Greater Toronto Area, with some travel flexibility to customer sites across North America. You’ll be joining a team of elite engineers and technologists from leading research and enterprise backgrounds, all passionate about transforming industrial systems using next-generation AI.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and lead the architecture of integrated vision and automation systems for industrial environments.
• Translate complex client and product requirements into full-system designs covering hardware, software, networking, and controls.
• Own system architecture decisions and define scalable reference frameworks for production deployment.
• Validate design reliability and manufacturability through rigorous standards and internal review.
• Act as the technical authority for system interfaces and implementation feasibility.
• Partner closely with field deployment, machine learning, and software teams to ensure practical system execution.
• Support sales and customer success teams with technical input on feasibility and solution scoping.
• Document system decisions, design tradeoffs, and technical justifications for internal and external stakeholders.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Systems, or related field.
• Deep experience designing and deploying automation or machine vision systems in manufacturing or industrial settings.
• Strong background in hardware-software integration including PLCs, sensors, industrial networks, and control systems.
• Knowledge of machine vision components such as lighting, optics, cameras, and compute platforms.
• Demonstrated capability to design reliable, scalable solutions beyond the prototype phase.
• Expertise in balancing cost, performance, and deployment complexity during architectural decisions.
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams.
• Willingness to travel domestically and occasionally within North America.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (e.g., Profinet, Modbus, Ethernet/IP).
• Experience with Linux-based edge compute platforms.
• Exposure to AI/ML tools or pipeline integration in an automation context.
• Prior work in food & beverage, CPG, automotive, or high-throughput manufacturing is a plus.
• Experience at high-growth startups or fast-moving engineering teams.

Why You Should Apply

• Shape the future of intelligent automation in real-world applications.
• Collaborate with some of the brightest minds in vision systems and AI.
• Be the architectural backbone for scalable industrial tech rollouts.
• Join a mission-driven team that values impact, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Competitive compensation and flexible hybrid work structure.

If you're passionate about designing cutting-edge systems that blend AI and automation to solve real industrial problems, we want to hear from you.

About Blue Signal:  

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services. Learn more at bit.ly/46Gs4yS