Research Associate - Astrophotonic Instrumentation

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: Victoria
Organizational Unit: Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics
Classification: RO
Tenure: Term
Duration: 3 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
We are seeking an instrumentation scientist or engineer who will play a lead role in the development of new astronomical instrumentation based on fiber optic and photonic chip technologies. The Instrumentation Scientist would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Creativity.

The successful candidate will participate in the TESERACT project, a Cube Sat mission that will demonstrate a novel type of spectroscopy in space. As a Research Associate in our team, you will contribute to the instrumentation effort based on our photonic integral field unit (IFU) architecture through fiber-coupling, alignment, integration, on-sky and in-lab characterization.

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 include:

• Integral field unit (IFU) and integral field spectroscopy feed design and integration
• Fiber-coupling, microlens arrays, and beam-remapping optics
• Optical design, alignment, and integration of instrument front-ends
• Photonic device and sub-system characterization at visible and near-infrared wavelengths
• On-sky commissioning and validation on ground-based telescopes

You will collaborate with researchers from NRC’s Quantum and Nanotechnologies Research Center, the University of Toronto, and Queen's University Belfast, with travel to collaborator sites.
Screening criteria
Applicants must…