Research Associate - Integrated Photonics Space Astronomy

Position: Research Associate - Integrated Photonics for Space Astronomy

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous Peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

• The Employment Equity Act , which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.
City: Ottawa
Organizational Unit: Quantum and Nanotechnologies
Classification: RO
Tenure: Term
Duration: 2 years
Language Requirements: English
Work arrangements:Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require full-time physical presence at the NRC work location identified.
At the NRC, we recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important connections to their communities and you may be eligible for an exception to this work arrangement. Alternative work arrangements may also be considered to accommodate candidates as required. To learn more about these options, please contact the NRC Hiring team using the contact information below.
Discover the possible

Anything is possible at the NRC, named in 2026 one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, Top Employer in the National Capital Region and Forbes Canada’s Best Employers! As Canada’s largest research and innovation organization, our world-renowned research pushes the boundaries of science and engineering to make the impossible, possible. Every day we explore new ideas through innovative research and help companies discover possibilities that impact Canada’s future and the world.

At the NRC, you’ll also discover new possibilities. Our supportive workplace fosters a culture of creativity, welcoming fresh perspectives and innovation at all levels. We value teamwork. You’ll collaborate across multiple fields and with the brightest minds to find creative solutions. Most importantly, you’ll discover what’s possible within you as you grow, make valuable contributions and progress in your professional journey.

From ground-breaking discoveries to a life-changing career, discover your possible at the NRC.
The role

Are you a photonics researcher who wants to build the photonic foundation of next-generation space telescopes? You will lead the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) sub-system of TESERACT (Twin Earth SEnsoR Astrophotonic Cube Sat), a 6U mission demonstrating chip-scale spectroscopy in space and de-risking astrophotonic technologies for future flagship observatories, including the Habitable Worlds Telescope. Targeting a SpaceX rideshare in the early 2030s, TESERACT will observe targets such as Venus, Mars, Jupiter, the Moon, Saturn and Titan.

The long-term objective is a multi-object spectral characterization instrument for biosignature detection on Earth‑like exoplanets, with applications in Earth observation. The work shifts from bulk optics to chip-scale photonic processing, improving size, weight, power, cost, stability, and scalability while maintaining high resolution.
Key technical areas: active spectral filtering; high‑efficiency spectral tuning; spatial/spectral demultiplexing via microlens integration; low‑power tunable circuit design; and low‑loss silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) components for visible and near‑infrared. The role uses NRC's internal foundry and Applied Nanotools, with potential extension to external foundries (LioniX, AMF, IMEC, AIM). You will collaborate with NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, and Queen's University Belfast, with travel to Victoria, BC and the UK.
Duties:

• Design, simulate (FDTD: Lumerical, Tidy3D, OptiFDTD), and lay out PICs (gdspy, Nazca, gdsfactory, Luceda, KLayout) for tape‑out.
• Develop PIC architectures and components for multiplexed spectral processing in silicon…