Location: Ottawa, Canada
In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.
This role is Hybrid Ottawa
AI Solutions Engineer
Position Summary
The AI Solutions Engineer will bridge the gap between traditional mission-critical software engineering and next-generation autonomous decision support in the various programs and functions at TCDS. In this role, the successful candidate will contribute to the integration of AI-driven capabilities into programs and functions, ensuring that system integrity is maintained while decision making through intelligent software solutions such as agentic AI solutions. Programs include in-service support of Royal Canadian Navy ships, pan-domain command and control and many others.
Regulatory Compliance Requirement
This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List and/or the US the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Core Engineering & Development
- Design, implement, and optimize agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making, reasoning, and interaction with dynamic environments.
- Develop multi-agent systems where agents collaborate, negotiate, and coordinate to achieve complex objectives.
- Implement reinforcement learning (RL) and large language model (LLM) integration to enable agents with adaptive behavior and contextual understanding.
- Build and maintain scalable infrastructure for deploying agentic AI solutions, including cloud-based on-premises and edge environments.
- Optimize agent performance through continuous monitoring, benchmarking, and iterative improvements.
Technical Leadership & Collaboration
- Lead cross-functional teams to integrate agentic AI solutions into existing products and workflows.
- Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to define system requirements and architectural decisions.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers on best practices in agentic AI development.
- Document system designs, APIs, and deployment processes to ensure reproducibility and maintainability.
Innovation & Problem-Solving
- Research and evaluate emerging AI techniques, frameworks, and tools to enhance agent capabilities (e.g., tool use, memory, planning).
- Prototype novel agentic AI applications, such as autonomous agents for customer support, supply chain optimization, or cybersecurity.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical challenges in agent behavior, coordination, and scalability.
Deployment & Operations
- Deploy agentic AI solutions in production environments, ensuring reliability, security, and performance. Implement robust testing frameworks for agent behavior, including simulation environments and adversarial testing. Monitor agent performance in real-world scenarios, gather feedback, and iterate on designs.
Minimum Requirements
- Knowledge of agile software engineering methodologies; Work on well-defined projects with minimal supervision; Experience with at least one of the following: Experience in designing and integrating AI algorithms capable of synthesizing multi-source data (e.g., ISR feeds) into actionable intelligence for commanders. Expertise in utilizing AI/ML to enhance the fidelity of tactical simulations, allowing for real-time scenario generation and predictive analysis of battlefield outcomes. Proven track record in applying AI-driven optimization techniques to resource allocation, logistical planning, and autonomous decision-support systems within constrained tactical networks. Proven track record in developing solutions that leverage agentic AI, including context engineering, complex automations, tools integration through MCP servers and complex retrieval stacks. Demonstrated experience navigating the unique challenges of software testing, verification, and validation (V&V) for non-deterministic AI/ML components in mission-critical environments Business acumen; Ability to translate ambiguous business problems into technical AI solutions (e.g., agentic).Capable of developing strong relationships across the business through excellent customer service; and, Excellent communication skills in the English language, written and verbal. Education: Bachelor of Computer Science (or suitable engineering/technical field).
Preferred Qualifications
- Skills and Abilities: Experience as a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE)Experience in defense. Experience in sensors integration. Experience with data and interoperability standards. Education: Graduate degree in Engineering - software, computer, systems, electrical, or a suitable engineering or technical field required to support defense.
Special Position Requirements
- Occasional travels to the East or West Coast
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between Total Target Cash (TTC) $130,000 - $150,000 CAD Annual.
This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.
We use artificial intelligence–enabled tools as part of our recruitment process to support activities such as candidate discovery, résumé matching, and interview scheduling. These tools may help screen and assess applications and recommend potential matches based on the requirements within the job description. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters. Artificial intelligence does not make hiring decisions on our behalf.
Why Join Us?
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Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 24 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:
• Company paid Extended Health, Dental, HSA, Life, AD&D, Short-term Disability, Cancer Care Program, travel insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and Well-Being program.
• Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP, DCPP, TFSA) with a company contribution and a match to a DCPP, with no vesting period.
• Company paid holidays, vacation days, and paid sick leave.
• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Long-Term Disability.
• Employee Discounts on home, auto, and gym membership.
Thales is an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Thales is committed to providing accommodations in all parts of the interview process. Applicants selected for an interview who require accommodation are asked to advise accordingly upon the invitation for an interview. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose of providing an accessible candidate experience.
This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access including eligibility to the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and able to obtain a Canadian Enhanced Reliability security clearance.