Sergiy Strashko
Verified Expert in Engineering
Embedded Systems Engineer and Developer
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Toptal member since July 25, 2025
Sergiy is an embedded systems engineer with 27 years of experience as an electronics engineer. For the past eight years, he has specialized in embedded electronic engineering, focusing on IoT devices. Sergiy develops hardware and firmware for Arm Cortex and RISC-V platforms and works with AWS MQTT, LTE/BLE, and Xilinx FPGAs. He designs custom PCBs, writes firmware in C/C++, automates testing in Python and JavaScript, and collaborates across teams to ensure robust, scalable embedded solutions.
Portfolio
Experience
- Altium Designer (PCAD) - 19 years
- Oscilloscopes & Tester Equipment - 15 years
- Microcontrollers - 12 years
- Embedded Hardware - 12 years
- Embedded Software - 12 years
- Embedded C - 12 years
- Product Testing - 11 years
- Regulatory Compliance - 11 years
Preferred Environment
Spectrum Analyzers, Slack, Postman, Docker, Windows, RealVNC, PyCharm, Wireshark, Ubuntu, AMD Vivado, WinSCP, TINA-TI, PuTTY, LTspice XVII, Arduino IDE, Proteus 8, Nordic nRF53, PlatformIO, Zephyr, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), STM32CubeIDE, ST-Link, Signal Generators, SEGGER Embedded Studio, Real-time Operating System (RTOS), Power Supplies, Oscilloscopes & Tester Equipment, Multimeters, Logic Analyzers, KiCad, J-Trace, Debugging, Intel Debugger, GitHub, Git, AWS Management Console, Jira
The most amazing...
...thing I’ve built is an IoT system that collects gas meter data via LTE and delivers it to the AWS cloud in real time using secure MQTT.
Work Experience
Embedded Electronic Engineer
[FT] Automotive Hardware Engineer – OBD-II & ECU Communication Systems
- Conducted a review and validation of the device manufactured by the company.
- Identified and resolved an issue related to the transition to modern components.
- Proposed and developed a new type of device capable of meeting all automotive-grade certification requirements.
Senior Embedded Systems Engineer
Romet
- Headed the development of Device, a cloud-based, cellular IoT communications platform integrated with advanced metering hardware. The system enables secure, near-real-time data transmission and supports advanced power management.
- Worked in an Agile environment using Jira for task and QA ticket tracking, Confluence for documentation, and Microsoft Teams for communication. Managed and reviewed code using Bitbucket.
- Oversaw hardware development of Adem and BrightLync, which successfully passed Canadian CSA certification and entered production, enabling commercial rollout and sales of certified smart gas metering solutions.
- Led full-cycle hardware development from scratch—schematic design, prototyping, firmware, testing, and production files. Prepared BOMs and all CSA certification documentation, ensuring smooth transition to manufacturing and regulatory approval.
Senior Electronics Engineer
ENSIL GROUP
- Designed and developed embedded electronic systems, including firmware and software.
- Created an internal communication and task management tool, a proprietary platform tailored in-house to meet the organization's workflow requirements.
- Gained valuable experience in advanced electronics across medical, military, and civilian sectors, contributing to complex and multidisciplinary technology development.
Embedded System Developer | Part-time Contractor
Bombardier Transportation
- Designed and implemented a comprehensive IoT-based safety and access control system for railway infrastructure, enabling secure, real-time monitoring of personnel movement and activity across restricted zones.
- Developed a multilayered security solution integrating access authorization, location tracking, and proximity detection of approaching trains and service vehicles.
- Engineered a "safe bubble" concept using embedded sensors and communication modules to dynamically detect hazardous proximity scenarios and alert personnel accordingly.
- Enabled full lifecycle tracking and analytics of worker presence, access logs, and safety compliance within critical railway maintenance and service areas.
- Integrated real-time communication between edge IoT devices and centralized cloud systems to ensure low-latency data synchronization and decision-making.
Experience
IoT Cellular-based Smart Gas Metering System
Additionally, I automated the testing processes using Python scripts, developed comprehensive technical documentation, prepared all required materials for regulatory certification (CSA), and ensured seamless transition into production.
The solution featured ultra-low power consumption, a battery life of over 15 years, and compatibility with multiple gas meter standards.
Education
Master's Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Tavria State Agrotechnological University - Melitopol, Ukraine
Certifications
Certified SOC Analyst (CSA)
CSA Group
Electrician Certification
Ontario College of Trades
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Altium, ZeroMQ
Tools
Altium Designer (PCAD), KiCad, Postman, Wireshark, Slack, Jira, GitHub, Git, Zephyr, PyCharm, STM32CubeIDE, ST-Link, J-Trace, Intel Debugger, Multimeters, Signal Generators, Spectrum Analyzers, MQTT, WinSCP, TINA-TI, PuTTY, LTspice XVII, Proteus 8
Languages
Assembler, Java, Embedded C, C, C++, Python, Python 3, Java 8, PHP
Paradigms
Testing, Real-time Systems
Platforms
Docker, Windows, Ubuntu, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), SEGGER Embedded Studio, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Linux
Industry Expertise
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Automotive
Other
Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), AWS Management Console, Real-time Operating System (RTOS), PlatformIO, J-link Debugging, Oscilloscopes & Tester Equipment, Logic Analyzers, Power Supplies, Mixed-feed Plant Control Automation, Microprocessor Modules, IoT dev, Serial Communication, Integration, Debugging, Hardware, Power Supply Testing, Spectrum Analyzer, Firmware Development, Hardware Debugging, PCB Design, Arm Cortex, Internet of Things (IoT), Embedded Systems, Product Testing, Regulatory Compliance, Long-term Evolution (LTE), Electronics, Manufacturing, Circuit Design, Issue Management, Troubleshooting, Design Documentation, Conceptual Design, Technical Reviews, Technical Reports, Systems Engineering, System Development, Ethernet, Networking, Operating Systems, Communication Protocols, IoT Protocols, Tools, Software Development, Software, Programming Languages, Programming, Compliance, EEPROM, Analog Circuit Design, Digital Electronics, Printed Circuit Board (PCB), Microcontrollers, Embedded Hardware, Embedded Software, Electrician License, RealVNC, Arduino IDE, Network Protocols, Linux Device Interfaces, Multithreading, Data Binning, Data Wrangling, Signal Processing, AMD Embedded Platforms, Ex ia Standard, IIA Standard, T4 Standard, Ga Standard, ATEX, NEC/CEC, Nordic nRF53, On-board Diagnostics II (OBD-II), ESP32, WiFi Integration, CAN Bus, Functional Safety, Lighting Design, TIBCO Cloud Integration, High-frequency Radar Systems, Broadcom BCM2711, AMD Vivado
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