Employer Spotlight: Corinex

What does your company do?

Corinex is powering the future of the grid as the global leader in Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL)-based grid visibility and flexibility solutions.

Over the past three years, Corinex has grown by 1,303%, becoming one of the fastest-growing clean technology companies in the industry, and earning recognition in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 for two consecutive years. 

Energy networks around the globe are under pressure due to the rapid adoption of low-carbon technologies (LCTs) such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar. Upgrading existing grids require significant financial investments, is resource-intensive, environmentally disruptive, and often slow to deploy at scale. 

Corinex solutions help utilities unlock more capacity from the grid that already exists. They give utilities an alternative way to modernize their grid utilizing existing power line infrastructure for a faster, more economical, and more carbon-neutral approach. 

Headquartered in Vancouver with global offices in Spain, Germany, Slovakia, and China, Corinex provides digital grid reinforcement for electricity distribution networks.

What is the culture like at your organization, and how do you support the professional growth of employees and co-op students?

Corinex operates like a deep-tech, engineering-driven scale-up: globally connected, highly collaborative, and focused on solving complex infrastructure challenges. 

Our teams across North America and Europe bring together expertise in electrical engineering, networking, firmware development, and power systems, guided by a technical leadership team with more than 200 years of collective industry experience. We believe innovation happens when talented people are given the opportunity to explore ideas, take ownership, and continuously learn. 

Our culture emphasizes hands-on learning through meaningful technical work, direct mentorship, exposure to real production systems, and cross-functional collaboration across global teams. Co-op students are fully integrated into engineering teams, where they contribute directly to product development, testing, and deployment. 

To support professional growth, we focus on practical experience, regular feedback, and helping people understand how their work fits into end-to-end solutions for our utility partners. Many students leave Corinex with stronger technical skills, broader industry perspective, and a clearer sense of their future in energy and communications technology.

What qualities or skills do you look for when hiring a co-op student?

We look for co-op students with a strong technical foundation. They should be curious, want to proactively solve problems, and be willing to take ownership of their work. Since the scope of work is quite diverse—hardware, firmware, networking, and large-scale infrastructure systems—students who are who enjoy working in fast-paced environments are more likely to thrive.

Beyond technical skills, we look for students who can communicate clearly, collaborate well with others, and are eager to learn and adapt quickly. They should demonstrate accountability, have respect for their teammates, and want to contribute in a meaningful way.

Co-op students at Corinex are treated as integral members of the team. They are given the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects alongside experienced leaders, engineers, and technical leads, gaining exposure to real development environments, product testing systems, and global deployment initiatives.

In our experience, early-career talent often brings fresh perspectives and creative solutions. Students grow quickly here because they are trusted to contribute, encouraged to explore ideas, and supported as they develop in a collaborative, high-performance environment.

How do UBC co-op students contribute to your organization?

UBC co-op students have contributed to a broad range of projects across engineering, operations, and marketing, supporting work that helps advance critical energy infrastructure.

Depending on the role and team, students may work on:

• Firmware development and testing
• Hardware validation and prototyping
• Network performance analysis
• Automation tools for engineering workflows
• Product testing and quality assurance
• Data analysis and system monitoring
• Streamlining operations
• New innovative marketing strategies
• Designing new processes for the next generation of talent

By working closely with senior engineers and technical leads, students gain exposure to real development environments and large-scale deployment initiatives. Along the way, they build practical experience while contributing to technology that plays an important role in the future of energy.

We have consistently found that co-op students bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and strong analytical thinking that create meaningful value for our teams.

What advice do you have for students interested in working at your organization?

For students exploring careers in engineering and technology, we encourage building both strong technical foundations and practical experience. The best preparation often comes from applying what you learn in ways that challenge you to think critically, solve problems, and continue developing your skills.

Helpful preparation can include:

• Developing projects involving embedded systems, networking, or data analysis
• Participating in research, hackathons, or engineering competitions
• Practicing how to clearly explain your problem-solving process during interviews
• Staying curious about how technology can address real-world challenges

The energy sector is undergoing rapid technological transformation, creating exciting opportunities for engineers to contribute to systems that will power the future. Students entering the field today have the opportunity not only to build a career, but also to help shape the infrastructure of tomorrow.

What are the typical hiring periods for co-ops?

Corinex typically hires co-op students according to the standard university terms:

• January - April
• May - August
• September - December

Students are encouraged to apply through their university co-op portal when positions are posted for each upcoming term.

These placements give students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working alongside engineering and technical teams while contributing to projects that support the development and deployment of modern energy infrastructure. 

What role, if any, does AI play in the recruitment process?

At Corinex, hiring decisions are made by real people based on a candidate’s technical foundation, problem-solving ability, communication skills, and overall fit for the role and team. We want to understand how candidates think, how they approach challenges, and how they would contribute to a collaborative environment.

We recognize that AI is essential, and students may use it for research, learning, or interview preparation. However, throughout the recruitment process, we place greater value on authentic thinking, sound technical reasoning, and a candidate’s ability to clearly explain their own ideas and approach.

Looking Ahead

Corinex is proud to partner with universities such as UBC to help develop the next generation of innovators.

Through hands on co-op programs, students can apply their knowledge to real-world challenges while contributing to technologies that are helping modernize energy infrastructure around the world.

As the grid becomes smarter, more connected, and more data-driven, the need for talent will only continue to grow. We are excited to work alongside students who are curious, ambitious, and motivated to help build the infrastructure that will power a more resilient and sustainable future.