Chief AI Officer

Company Overview

Fidus Systems is a global high-technology design firm headquartered in Ottawa with additional centers in Kitchener-Waterloo and San Jose. The company specializes in advanced electronic product development, bringing together hardware, embedded software, FPGA/ASIC, and signal integrity teams to create next-generation solutions for customers in emerging tech markets.

Role and Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the company's AI transformation, including ownership of the AI strategy, roadmap, and governance framework.
• Develop a multi-year vision for AI integration across service delivery, business development, and operations.
• Prioritize AI initiatives focused on increasing revenue, margin, and competitive advantage.
• Report AI progress to the CEO and maintain an AI KPI scorecard.
• Work with the CTO and Delivery Leaders to create new AI-enabled service offerings, such as AI-assisted signal and power integrity analysis, automated design reviews, and embedded AI in customer products.
• Drive the productization of Fidus's engineering expertise through scalable AI-augmented deliverables.
• Collaborate with discipline leads across FPGA, SI/PI, layout, software, hardware, and ASIC to integrate AI tools within delivery workflows.
• Establish intellectual property strategies for proprietary AI methods and tools developed in-house.
• Promote measurable adoption of AI tools throughout all teams including engineering, operations, and business development.
• Design and implement structured change management programs encompassing training, enablement, and accountability.
• Define and monitor adoption metrics such as cycle time reduction, AI-assisted delivery percentages, and business development efficiencies.
• Foster a culture encouraging experimentation while upholding stringent quality and safety standards in engineering projects.
• Partner with IT leadership to develop and maintain data architecture, governance, quality standards, and data platforms necessary for AI model training and deployment.
• Ensure compliance with ITAR, export controls, and client NDAs in collaboration with IT and Legal.
• Work with IT and engineering to facilitate systematic data capture and maintain source data quality.
• Represent Fidus as the AI expert externally, engaging clients, strategic partners, and industry forums.
• Advise clients on integrating AI into their hardware, firmware, and system development.
• Support channel and business growth by articulating Fidus's AI differentiators to partners in silicon, EDA, and the wider ecosystem.
• Recruit, lead, and develop the AI team including engineers, data scientists, and ML operations specialists.
• Define the AI organizational structure, whether centralized or embedded within disciplines.
• Manage AI vendor relationships, including providers of AI models, MLOps platforms, and data tools, ensuring alignment with IT procurement and security policies.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience in the services industry, understanding delivery models, team dynamics, and driving AI adoption without disrupting client commitments.
• Over 10 years in technology leadership with at least 3 years in senior roles leading AI/ML transformations successfully.
• Strong hands-on expertise in data architecture, governance, and machine learning pipeline creation, capable of working across technical boundaries.
• Proven track record in developing AI-enabled products or productized services from conception to market launch.
• History of executing strategic initiatives under uncertain conditions, delivering measurable impacts like increased revenue, margins, and efficiency.
• Excellent communication skills able to convey AI strategy at both board and technical team levels.

Preferred Experience

• Background in engineering services, electronic design automation, semiconductor, or related deep-tech sectors.
• Familiarity with regulated or safety-critical environments such as aerospace, defense, medical, or automotive industries.
• Experience handling ITAR or export-controlled data environments.
• Involvement in organizations undergoing strategic transformations like high growth, private equity ownership, or mergers and acquisitions.
• Practical knowledge of large language models, agentic AI frameworks, or applying AI to CAD/EDA and hardware design workflows.

About Fidus

Since 2001, Fidus has delivered over 4,000 projects to more than 400 clients across various sectors including telecommunications, aerospace, consumer electronics, semiconductors, industrial controls, and medical devices. As a premier adaptive computing partner for AMD North America, Fidus leverages deep technical expertise and leading tools to tackle complex design challenges.

The company's multidisciplinary teams span FPGA/DSP, hardware, embedded software, verification, SI/PI, PCB layout, and mechanical/thermal design, delivering real products in areas like space systems, next-generation networking, high-performance computing, advanced imaging, and automotive systems.

Fidus values openness, trust, and shared ownership, fostering collaboration and encouraging employees to innovate, learn, and have meaningful professional impact.

Recruitment Process and Equal Opportunity

Fidus ensures a transparent recruitment procedure using automated tools for initial application screening based on qualifications and skills alignment. All subsequent evaluations and hiring decisions are made by human recruiters. The company welcomes diverse applicants and provides accommodations during recruitment processes upon request, demonstrating its commitment to equal opportunity employment.