Field Deployment & Operations Engineer

About the Role

Illuminex AI is deploying its InspectEx multi-sensor inspection platform across airports in North America and internationally. Our systems combine perception and positioning data to detect foreign object debris, pavement distress, non-compliant snowbanks, and a growing range of airfield inspection requirements, all in real time.

We need someone who can own the deployment and operations side of our growth into airports across North America and globally.

As our Field Deployment & Operations Engineer, your primary job is to get InspectEx systems installed, commissioned, and running reliably at customer airports. You will work directly with airport operations and maintenance teams, represent Illuminex AI on-site, and make sure every deployment lands well.

This role is based in the Greater Toronto Area, with bi-weekly test sessions at our local airfield development site. Travel is primarily to US and Canadian airports, including remote sites, and internationally, and is a real and significant part of the job. If you like being in the field, working with your hands, and seeing your work go live in operational environments, this is the role.

What You Will Own: Install & Commission

You will lead a significant fraction of our customer deployments. Installs typically require one to two days on-site: mounting and connecting hardware on customer vehicles, configuring the system, commissioning, and training airport staff. You will do this with confidence and composure, in a way that leaves the customer feeling well taken care of.

* Install InspectEx systems on customer vehicles

* Commission systems on-site, confirming sensors, compute hardware, and software systems are operating correctly and the system is ready for operational use.

* Train airport operations and maintenance staff on system use and basic troubleshooting

* Travel regularly to US and Canadian airports, remote sites including northern Canada, and internationally

* Attend bi-weekly test sessions at our local airfield development site near Toronto

Quality Assurance

When you're not on-site with customers, you'll take the lead on quality assurance efforts at Illuminex AI. Your mission will be to ensure that our new developments perform seamlessly, enhance the reliability of existing systems, and prevent quality regressions as we introduce new technologies.

* Ensure a high-standard of quality in newly developed features via thorough testing

* Perform rigorous testing on both software improvements and new hardware, such as upgraded sensors, to guarantee optimal system performance.

* Identify and develop opportunities for automating testing processes to improve efficiency and scalability.

* Over time, you will grow into an engineering role focused on owning the software observability and fleet health of our systems, ensuring we proactively identify and address potential customer issues before they arise.

The right candidate will play a crucial role in ensuring our systems maintain the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance, directly impacting our customers' experience.

Troubleshooting & Engineering Support

You know the system well enough to diagnose problems, capture the right data, and communicate what the engineering team needs to act on.

* Troubleshoot system issues across power, networking, sensors, and compute

* Support our engineering team during testing of new features and configurations

* Capture logs, sensor data, and failure context with enough detail for engineers to act without being there

You will occasionally assist with system builds, hardware maintenance, and design feedback.

About You

You take ownership naturally. When a system is not behaving, you dig in. When a customer needs an answer, you find it. When you see something that could work better, you fix it.

You are a hands-on engineer who is comfortable working in the field. You can configure a system, walk an airport operations team through a new product, and write up a clear technical finding for an engineer who was not there, all in the same day if needed.

You are not fazed by travel, tight timelines, or unfamiliar environments. You are comfortable at a terminal, editing config files, reading logs, running diagnostics, and you bring an ops mindset to deployed systems, building the visibility and alerting that keeps our airports running without waiting for something to break.

Qualifications Required

* Bachelor's or graduate degree in mechatronics, electrical, mechanical, or systems engineering, or equivalent hands-on engineering experience

* A minimum of 3 years of professional industry experience with hardware systems: sensors, edge computing systems, power electronics, cabling, and enclosures. Academic project work does not count toward this requirement.

* Experience integrating hardware systems, ideally on mobile platforms, including DC power (12–48V), wiring, connectors, and grounding

* Comfortable using Linux and command line tools

* Strong communication skills, confident working directly with customers and airport operations teams in professional environments

* Proven ability to work independently in the field and make sound technical decisions

* Willingness and ability to travel frequently and on short notice to the US, Canada including remote northern sites, and internationally. Valid passport required.

* Based in or willing to relocate to the Greater Toronto Area

Nice to Have

* Familiarity with ruggedized systems designed for outdoor or harsh environments

* Airport, aviation, or other regulated operational environment experience

* Experience using CAD tools to review mechanical or electrical designs

* Exposure to software observability systems, e.g. DataDog, AWS Cloudwatch, Honeycomb, and OpenTelemetry

Compensation & Benefits

* Salary: $90,000 – $125,000 CAD, based on experience

* Equity: 0.2% – 0.4% early-stage ownership with annual performance-based refresh eligibility

* Purpose Leave: 30-day sabbatical at 75% pay, available every two years

* Vacation: 3 weeks to start, growing to 5 weeks by year three

* Travel: All work-related travel expenses and per diems covered

* We are outcome-focused. When you are not at the airfield or on a customer site, manage your time in the way that works best for you. Core availability hours are generally 9am–3pm ET.

About Illuminex AI

Illuminex AI is a Toronto-based technology company transforming inspection workflows for critical infrastructure, starting with airfields. Our InspectEx platform is live across airports in Canada, the United States, and internationally, and we are growing. This is an early and important hire. The people we bring on now will shape how we operate as we scale.

Illuminex AI is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and kind environment for all employees.