Navigation Systems Product Owner - MagNav / Alternative PNT
SBQuantum • Full-time • Reports to the CTO • Onsite in Sherbrooke, Quebec
The Mission
You will be our first dedicated navigation-systems hire - the architect who turns our quantum magnetometer into a navigation system. You'll own the product design and roadmaps, get it integrated into drones, aircraft, and autonomous platforms. You report to the CTO, work shoulder-to-shoulder with our engineering and product development teams, our Director of Business Development, and our Joint-Development-Partners, and grow into the Product lead of the navigation team you'll help build.
What You'll Do
- Architect the end-to-end MagNav solution - define the product roadmap, building off the POC system, to version alpha and beyond, tailored to customer profiles.
- Set the technical requirements and roadmap - translate customer platform constraints (SWaP, dynamics, environment, cost) into our product roadmap, partnering with engineering and BD.
- Validate the roadmap with end users - setup user focus groups and keep product features closely aligned with the mission requirements.
- Drive integration on real platforms - define the hardware/firmware/software interfaces, work into drone-OEM and INS-maker guidance systems, and lead bench and flight-test campaigns.
- Be our product voice to customers - engage chief engineers credibly and help scope the joint development agreements and funded evaluations that carry us into their programs.
- Lay the foundation for the team - establish the design practices, tooling, and documentation the navigation group will scale on, and shape its first hires.
First-Year Success
- 30 days: Deep on our sensor and current navigation stack; an error-budget and gap analysis of today's MagNav pipeline; alignment on the first target platform(s). Preliminary roadmap established.
- 90 days: A reference architecture for the productized MagNav navigation solution defined and bought into; compensation and filtering approach selected; a concrete integration plan for the first target platform. Roadmap fully established and validated with end clients.
- 6 months: A working navigation solution demonstrated on real or recorded flight data (or a bench/HIL setup); interfaces defined for at least one drone or INS integration; technically supporting at least one customer evaluation.
- 12 months: MagNav solution integrated and field/flight-tested on target platforms; finalized execution on the roadmap for first product release at a global event.
What You Bring
- Degree in aerospace, electrical, robotics, physics, or a related engineering field (MS/PhD a plus).
- ~8+ years designing navigation systems, including hands-on INS/IMU integration and sensor fusion (Kalman/EKF/UKF/particle filtering) for airborne, autonomous, or precision-guided platforms.
- You have personally owned at least one navigation system from architecture through integration to field or flight test on real hardware - not only simulation or research.
- Hands-on with at least one of: MagNav / magnetic-anomaly navigation, aeromagnetic compensation, or GPS-denied / alternative-PNT navigation.
- Comfortable close to hardware, firmware, and real-time/embedded constraints, and fluent working across the guidance / autopilot / mission-computer interface.
- Practitioner of modern systems engineering and architecture techniques (MBSE/SysML).
- Strong proficiency in the tools of the trade - MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and C/C++.
- A self-directed first-mover who can define the reference design as the only navigation architect in the room, not inherit one.
- Eligible to work under the applicable export-control regime (Canadian Controlled Goods Program and/or US ITAR/EAR) for defense navigation technical data.
Nice to Have
- Direct MagNav / magnetic-anomaly-navigation experience and work with geomagnetic or crustal anomaly maps (WMM/EMM).
- Magnetometry, quantum sensing, OPM, or NV-diamond exposure.
- Drone autopilot ecosystems (PX4/ArduPilot) or defense GNC / missile navigation.
- Experience with specific MBSE/SysML tools (e.g., Capella, Cameo, or similar) and the ability to tailor their use to a dynamic startup environment.
- Flight-test or field-test campaign experience.
- Active or prior security clearance (US or Canadian), or eligibility.
- Startup or first-technical-hire experience; patents or publications in navigation or magnetics.
Compensation & Benefits
Base and performance bonus with meaningful early-employee equity as well as health benefits, flexible vacation, and a professional-development budget.
