Location: Ottawa, ON | Hybrid preferred | Remote
Department: Core Apps
Reports To: Sean Yang, Director of Engineering
Type: Permanent | Full-Time
At Solink, our mission is to safeguard what matters most. We provide businesses with the tools to know sooner and act faster by transforming video security into real-time operational insights.
Our cloud-based platform integrates seamlessly with your existing cameras and systems, turning them into intelligent sensors that detect and interpret key moments. This empowers teams to make data-driven decisions, enhance security, and improve operational efficiency.
Trusted by over 30,000 locations across 32+ countries - including brands like McDonaldâs and JYSK - Solink delivers clarity when it counts. Our solutions help businesses reduce shrink, optimize performance, and respond proactively to potential threats.
We're growing rapidly, earning industry recognition, and scaling with purpose. Weâve been recognized by Deloitteâs Fast 50⢠and Fast 500â˘, Business Intelligence Group, and as one of Ottawaâs Best Places to Work. And weâre just getting started!
As a Staff Software Engineer, youâll play a hands-on role in solving meaningful problems, driving outcomes, and contributing directly to Solinkâs growth. You'll collaborate across teams and be trusted to take ownership - because we believe great ideas come from everywhere.
This is an opportunity for someone whoâs energized by challenge, fast learning, and making a real impact.
Design, build, and maintain full-stack features across Solinkâs video applications, with a strong emphasis on backend services and systems integration (roughly 60â70% backend).
Build and evolve core video capabilities including:
Stream lifecycle management (camera connectivity, health, state)
Live and recorded video playback experiences
Video export/clip generation workflows
Investigation/search experiences that depend on fast, reliable video retrieval
Develop and optimize backend services and APIs that support video workflows across edge and cloud environments.
Work closely with edge and cloud components, including Linux-based edge devices and cloud services, to ensure end-to-end reliability.
Improve storage efficiency and cost-performance of video workflows (retention, packaging, transcoding/processing strategies, and operational visibility).
Contribute to design decisions balancing scalability, performance, reliability, security, and developer experience.
Partner closely with Product, QA, and cross-functional engineering teams to translate requirements into pragmatic, production-ready solutions.
Mentor and influence other engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and informal knowledge sharing.
Continuously improve team tooling, observability, and processes, including thoughtful adoption of AI-assisted workflows where appropriate.
Must-Have:
Strong experience as a senior-level full-stack or backend-leaning engineer, with the ability to contribute across frontend, backend, and infrastructure layers.
Proficiency with modern web development, including JavaScript/TypeScript and React (or similar frontend frameworks).
Deep backend experience (Node.js or similar), including API design, distributed systems fundamentals, and production reliability.
VMS / video surveillance domain experience (camera systems, VMS concepts, video workflows, and operational expectations).
Strong hands-on experience with video streaming technologies we use today:
RTSP
HLS
WebRTC
Practical experience with FFmpeg in production contexts (debugging pipelines, packaging/transcoding workflows, or integrating video processing into services).
Strong understanding of video encoding/decoding fundamentals and the tradeoffs that impact:
storage footprint and cost
quality and latency
playback compatibility and seek performance
Experience working in Linux environments, ideally including edge-device or performance/IO-sensitive systems.
Comfortable working in a codebase that includes C++ and/or Rust (you donât need to be an expert in both, but you should be able to navigate, debug, and ship in systems-language-adjacent areas when needed).
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and modern deployment patterns (infrastructure as code, CI/CD, containers/serverlessâwhatever fits your background).
Experience with video storage/retention strategies at scale (tiering, lifecycle policies, segment management, compaction/repacking, etc.).
Familiarity with hardware acceleration and performance tuning for video workloads.
Strong problem-solving skills, ownership mindset, and ability to influence technical decisions beyond your own code.
Nice-to-Have:
Experience with Kubernetes and cloud-native operations (observability, metrics/tracing, incident response, SLOs).
Experience scaling systems in high-growth or ânext-stageâ environments.
Interest in applying AI/ML or AI-assisted development techniques to improve product capabilities and team productivity.
Candidates must undergo a criminal records check upon hire;
Be a Canadian Citizen (dual citizens included), or eligible to work in Canada;
Be willing to comply with Solinkâs own security policies and standards.
We do things the Solink way:
Act with URGENCY â Our customers move fast, so we do too.
Deliver with QUALITY â We sweat the details and hold a high bar.
Win with TEAM â No egos. Just outcomes, built together.
Lead with TRUST â We earn it through clarity, consistency, and care.
These arenât just wordsâthey shape how we hire, lead, and grow.
Weâre not just building tech - weâre building a place where great people do great work.
Clarity and trust: Where the role allows, we support flexibility in how and where work gets done - and weâre upfront about whatâs required.
Meaningful equity: Every full-time, permanent employee has a stake in our growth.
Comprehensive benefits: Fully paid health & dental (no waiting period) + $500 health spending account.
Wellness support: Monthly reimbursement for fitness, wellness, or mental health programs.
Growth through merit: Advancement is based on contribution, initiative, and the ability to raise the bar - together.
Candid culture: Clear expectations, honest feedback, and n
solink