Test Engineer – Embedded IoT, Wireless Mesh & Heavy Equipment Systems

Location: Calgary / Canada
Category: Software & hardware
Role Overview
We are looking for a Test Engineer to help validate our rugged IoT, wireless mesh, and vehicle connectivity products used in mining, forestry, construction, and other heavy-duty industrial environments.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys hands-on testing of embedded Linux devices, wireless networks, CAN/J1939 vehicle data, OTA updates, and cloud-connected systems. You will work closely with embedded software, firmware, hardware, cloud, and product teams to improve product reliability before devices are deployed in harsh field environments.
The Test Engineer will be responsible for creating test plans, executing manual and automated tests, building test setups, reproducing field issues, and helping establish a stronger QA process across our embedded platforms.
Location: Calgary, AB. (in office)
Compensation: 60K to 100K depending on experience.
Key Responsibilities

• Embedded Device Testing
• Test embedded Linux-based IoT devices, routers, and gateways.
• Validate device boot, networking, storage, watchdog, logging, recovery, and configuration behavior.
• Test hardware interfaces including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, LTE, GNSS, CAN, RS232/RS485, USB, SD card, GPIO, and sensors.
• Verify device behavior under power loss, reboot, brownout, poor network, and intermittent connectivity conditions.
• Reproduce and document field-reported issues from mining and heavy equipment deployments.

Wireless & Mesh Network Testing

• Test Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Mesh, OpenWrt-based routers, and mobile/stationary mesh node deployments.
• Validate mesh connectivity, roaming, failover, latency, packet loss, throughput, and recovery behavior.
• Test 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and optional Wi-Fi HaLow network scenarios.
• Support field surveys and lab simulations for underground mines, open-pit mines, forestry sites, and vehicle yards.
• Collect and analyze logs from OpenWrt, batman-adv, wpa_supplicant, hostapd, and Linux networking tools.

Vehicle & CAN Bus Testing

• Test vehicle data collection over CAN/J1939, OBD-II, J1708, CDL, and related protocols.
• Validate data parsing, fault code detection, engine metrics, payload data, and machine health signals.
• Use tools such as SocketCAN, can-utils, CAN analyzers, and simulated CAN traffic.
• Build repeatable CAN test cases using real hardware, simulators, or recorded vehicle logs.

Cloud, OTA & Device Management Testing

• Test MQTT communication with AWS IoT or similar cloud platforms.
• Validate store-and-forward behavior during network outages.
• Test OTA software updates, rollback behavior, version reporting, and failure recovery.
• Validate device configuration updates through cloud or local management tools.
• Confirm secure communication, certificate handling, signed updates, and access control behavior.

Test Automation & CI

• Develop and maintain automated test scripts using Python, shell scripting, or similar tools.
• Help integrate tests into CI pipelines using GitHub Actions or similar systems.
• Build regression test suites firmware, embedded applications, networking, and OTA workflows.
• Create automated log collection and test reporting tools.
• Support hardware-in-the-loop testing for embedded devices and vehicle interfaces.

Documentation & Process

• Create clear test plans, test cases, checklists, and test reports.
• Document bugs with logs, reproduction steps, expected behavior, and actual behavior.
• Work with developers to confirm fixes and prevent regressions.
• Maintain lab test equipment, firmware images, cables, simulators, and network setups.
• Help improve QA processes, release readiness criteria, and field deployment confidence.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in testing embedded systems, networking equipment, IoT devices, or Linux-based products.
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux command line.
• Experience testing networked devices using Ethernet, Wi-Fi, LTE, or similar technologies.
• Ability to read logs, isolate problems, and provide clear bug reports.
• Experience with test case creation, regression testing, and release validation.
• Basic scripting ability in Python, Bash, or similar.
• Familiarity with tools such as ping, iperf, tcpdump, ssh, dmesg, journalctl, and logread.
• Comfortable working with physical hardware, cables, power supplies, serial consoles, and lab equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with OpenWrt, routers, access points, or Wi-Fi mesh systems.
• Experience with batman-adv, 802.11s, Wi-Fi roaming, RF testing, or wireless surveys.
• Experience with CAN/J1939, SocketCAN, OBD-II, or heavy equipment data.
• Experience with MQTT, AWS IoT, device shadows, jobs, or cloud-connected embedded devices.
• Experience testing OTA updates, rollback mechanisms, and offline-first systems.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Experience with GitHub, Jira, Confluence, and CI/CD workflows.
• Experience with embedded Linux, Yocto, or Buildroot-based platforms.
• Experience working in mining, forestry, construction, agriculture, transportation, or industrial automation.

Useful Technical Skills
The ideal candidate may have experience with some of the following:

• Linux networking
• OpenWrt
• Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Mesh, 802.11s
• batman-adv
• LTE/cellular connectivity
• MQTT
• AWS IoT Core
• CAN, J1939, OBD-II, J1708
• SocketCAN and can-utils
• Python scripting
• Bash scripting
• Git and GitHub Actions
• Serial console debugging
• tcpdump, Wireshark, iperf3
• OTA testing
• Embedded device recovery testing
• Hardware-in-the-loop testing

Example Test Areas

• The Test Engineer may be expected to validate scenarios such as:
• Device boots correctly after repeated power cycling.
• Device recovers after LTE or Wi-Fi loss.
• Mesh node reconnects after moving between coverage zones.
• OTA update fails safely and rolls back correctly.
• CAN data is collected and transmitted accurately.
• MQTT messages are buffered when offline and uploaded when connectivity returns.
• Router maintains acceptable latency and packet loss under load.
• Configuration changes from cloud are applied correctly.
• Device logs contain enough information for remote troubleshooting.
• Firmware release meets minimum regression criteria before field deployment.

Soft Skills

• Strong attention to detail.
• Practical troubleshooting mindset.
• Comfortable working with incomplete information and real-world field issues.
• Clear written communication.
• Ability to work closely with developers without simply “throwing bugs over the wall.”
• Willingness to build repeatable tests from messy real-world problems.
• Ownership mindset and desire to improve product reliability.

Nice-to-Have Field Experience

• Experience testing products installed on vehicles or industrial machines.
• Experience with underground mine, open-pit mine, forestry, or remote industrial deployments.
• Experience performing field trials, collecting logs, and validating wireless coverage.
• Familiarity with harsh-environment testing: vibration, temperature, dust, power instability, and intermittent connectivity.

SYMX.AI is looking for a Hardware Developer to join our growing team to help build the next level of our cutting-edge IoT products.SYMX.AI is looking for a Field Service Engineer – Industrial IoT, Wireless Mesh & Heavy Equipment Systems to join our growing team to help build the next level of our cutting-edge IoT products. Privacy policy

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