Business Development Officer – Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics

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.

City: Within a National Research Council Office across Canada 

Organizational Unit: Metrology Research Centre 

Classification: RCO 

Tenure: Continuing 

Language Requirements: English

Note: While the official location of work for this position will be an NRC facility within Canada, the option of an offsite or a hybrid work arrangement (a combination of working onsite and offsite) may be possible.

The NRC Advantage

Great Minds. One Goal. Canada’s Success.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada’s largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.

We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you.  Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.

At the NRC, we know that diversity enables excellence in research and innovation. We are committed to a diverse and representative workforce, a safe and respectful work environment, and contributing to a more inclusive Canadian innovation system.  We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to complete the employment equity self-declaration questions during the job application process.

Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. 

Your Challenge

Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada’s largest research and technology organization. 

We are looking for a senior-career Business Development Officer (BDO) to provide strategic business advice and lead the development of strategic relationships with key stakeholders to support our Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics (HAA) Research Centre, which is located in Victoria, BC. The BDO would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

HAA is part of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC).

HAA has a rare combination of staff involved in astronomy research, instrumentation design and development, engineering, data science and observatory support.

HAA is a leading developer of instrumentation for Canada’s current and future ground- and space-based telescopes from optical through to radio wavelengths (e.g., ALMA, SKA, ngVLA, CFHT, Gemini, TMT). Its multi-disciplinary team includes project managers, optical, electrical, mechanical and systems engineers and technicians, signal processing experts and astronomers.

Current major activities include participation in the development of optical/NIR spectrographs for Gemini, adaptive optics systems for TMT, correlator upgrades and central signal processing architectures for the SKA and ALMA, receiver development for MeerKAT, composite dish antenna designs for new radio observatories, CHIME expansion and the development of CHORD.

HAA executes NRC’s mandate to operate and administer astronomical observatories established or maintained by the Government of Canada.

At our DAO (Dominion Astrophysical Observatory) campus in Victoria, BC, in addition to astronomical research, we provide observer support to users of the Gemini and ALMA observatories in our Canadian Gemini Office and Millimetre Astronomy Group, respectively.  In addition, we construct new instruments for and manage the data from various observatories, via our Astronomy Technology Directorate and the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre.

Your Challenge (cont.)

At our DRAO (Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory) facility near Penticton, BC, we manage astronomy technology projects, specifically two projects delivering correlator/breamformer digital signal processing systems for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) and Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) – two of the most advanced radio observatories in the world.

We are particularly seeking a candidate with interest in one or more of the following areas:

• Cutting-edge science & technology projects;
• High-profile international projects;
• Research;
• Astronomy or Astrophysics;
• Engineering.

The BDO works alongside our project coordination and science and technology teams.  They manage our portfolio of agreements and contracts with Canadian and International universities, government organizations, and industry. They track status, and pro-actively ensure timely execution of agreements and contracts. They provides strategic guidance, senior level stakeholder engagement expertise, intellectual property management and licensing, complex agreement negotiation. As such, this position catalyzes business objectives and strategic plans, increasing and strengthening the NRC value proposition and stakeholder relationships, and helps to devise new business approaches.

The BDO supports the business and partnership objectives of the NRC by developing and implementing stakeholder engagement strategies to meet the objectives of the HAA Research Centre. The BDO supports HAA’s management team, often leading contacts with high-level stakeholders in industry, government, and academia. The position must understand the priorities of the Canadian Astrophysics Community, as well as NRC’s various programs, research centres, and divisions, the Government of Canada and Canada’s R&D ecosystem; and must possess an up-to-date, sharp insight of stakeholder priorities in relevant technology domains.

The insight provided by this position will significantly guide the decisions of HAA’s management in relation to strategic initiatives, nationally, and internationally. The BDO is also expected to work with researchers at HAA to establish collaborative relationships and projects with key stakeholders in industry, academia and government and to achieve targeted growth in new opportunities for HAA to provide technical or research services to clients.

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

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Engineering, Science or Business Administration. A Master’s degree, in Science, Engineering or Business Administration would be an asset.

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency

Experience

• Significant and recent experience in developing business strategies and managing relationships with diverse academic, government and industry stakeholders in science and engineering projects;
• Significant and recent experience in creating and developing opportunities for collaborative advancement of technology;
• Significant experience leading complex files requiring coordination with internal and external partners or stakeholders at the national and international level; and
• Experience supporting, leading and supervising business-related activities within a research organization.

Assets:

• Experience in leveraging intellectual property to address industry challenges;
• Experience in international business contexts;
• Experience in astronomy research, instrumentation design and development, engineering, data science and observatory support.

Condition of Employment

Reliability Status.  Must be able to travel.

Language Requirements

English

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Assessment Criteria

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

Technical Competencies

• Knowledge of trends and developments (in national and international contexts) relevant to Astronomical research and/or Astrophysics engineering and/or computation and instrumentation and/or Canadian and international astronomy community;
• Extensive knowledge of the Canadian and International innovation landscape, including leading R&D institutions in astronomy;
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to make business pitches to technical and business audiences;
• Ability to use well-developed influencing and negotiation strategies to achieve business outcomes; 
• Strategic planning including leveraging advanced technical, analytical and problem-solving skills; and
• Demonstrated ability to meet revenue objectives and outreach or marketing targets, leading activities which are aligned with strategic goals and that have significant impact for the organization, including finding funding opportunities, preparing grant proposals and pursuing commercialization opportunities.

Asset:

• Knowledge of astronomy, physics, and/or related engineering technologies and leading organizations.

Behavioural Competencies

• Management services – Client focus (Level 3)
• Management services – Communication (Level 4)
• Management services – Results orientation (Level 3)
• Management services – Initiative (Level 3)
• Management services – Partnering (Level 3)
• Management services – Teamwork (Level 3)
• Management services – Networking (Level 3)
• Technology extension – Business understanding (Level 4)

Competency Profile(s)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profiles: Management Services ; Technology Extension

View all competency profiles

Relocation

Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC’s directives.

Compensation

The intent of this hiring action is to staff this position at the RCO-3/RCO-4 level, which is a senior-career level position with a salary range of $105,785 to $148,657. 

NOTE: Please note that the full RO/RCO salary scale has five levels. Salary determination will be based on a review of the candidate’s expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level.  As such, the initial salary could be within another level of the RO/RCO salary scale (i.e. above or below the intended level for this position).

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including comprehensive health and dental plans, pension and insurance plans, vacation and other leave entitlements.

​

Notes

• A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• In order to ensure a prompt and efficient processing of applications, candidates are encouraged to provide, along with their résumé, a detailed covering letter explaining how they meet each of the requirements of this position (education, experience, language requirements) by providing concrete examples. In addition, the candidate is encouraged to describe in detail when, where and how he/she gained the experience.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
• The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
• We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Please direct your questions, with the requisition number (18107) to:

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone : 438-455-5335 

Closing Date: Posted until filled

For more information on career tools and other resources, check out Career tools and resources

*If you are currently a term or continuing employee at NRC, please apply through the SuccessFactors Careers module from your NRC computer.