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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

OrganizationalUnit: Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics

Classification: RO

Tenure: Continuing

Work arrangements:

Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position may be eligible for a limited hybrid work arrangement (combination of working onsite and telework). At the NRC, we recognize that Indigenous candidates may have significant 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 The role The Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre (HAA) is seeking an Optical Engineer to lead the conception, development and delivery of advanced optical instrumentation and systems for current and future astronomical observatories. The successful candidate will be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Creativity and will work closely with astronomers, engineers, and technical specialists. The role involves translating scientific and technical requirements into practical engineering solutions, developing optical designs and performance analyses such as tolerancing, stray-light, image quality,



throughput, and alignment planning. You will make significant contributions to the design, integration, testing, and verification of complex UV/VIS/NIR optical systems, analyze test results, and recommend design improvements or corrective actions as required. Working within multidisciplinary teams, the Optical Engineer will collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, software, systems, scientific, and technical specialists to develop instrument concepts, perform technical trade studies, and guide engineering decisions throughout the instrument lifecycle. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

leading or contributing to strategic research and development activities;

investigating and evaluating emerging optical technologies;

preparing technical documentation such as optical specifications, interface control documents, test and verification plans, alignment procedures, technical reports, and design review materials;

supporting procurement activities, vendor interactions, component evaluation, and acceptance testing.

The position offers the opportunity to contribute to facility-class astronomical instrumentation, space-based observatories and strategic research and development initiatives, participate in national and international collaborations, and provide technical guidance and knowledge transfer to colleagues, students,



and junior staff where appropriate. We welcome applications from candidates at different career stages who can demonstrate strong technical foundations, a commitment to learning, and the potential to contribute to the development of advanced scientific instrumentation.

Screening criteria Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Education Graduation with a Masters or PhD from a recognized post-secondary institution in Optical Engineering, Physics, Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering, or another field relevant to the position. Graduation with a Masters or PhD from a recognized post-secondary institution in Engineering combined with relevant work experience in astronomy or other sectors such as aerospace, space systems, defense, remote sensing, biomedical imaging, photonics, or other precision optical industries may also be considered. As part of their application package, applicants are required to provide the following:

Resume

2-page Executive Summary: The summary must describe a relevant project, completed from design to delivery, and include key information such as project overview, optical design, modelled performance, tolerance summary, delivered performance, and lessons learned. Applicants should clearly identify their own role and contributions, and focus on the most important technical aspects of the project, including driving requirements, design choices, performance metrics, and verification strategies. Confidential or proprietary details may be anonymized.

Extensive* experience in optical engineering, including m

📌 Optical Engineer (Winnipeg)
🏢 National Research Council of Canada
📍 Winnipeg