Telescope Software Developer

Discover the possible

Anything is possible at the NRC, named in 2025 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

Do you find developing and operating entire software stacks that interact directly with physical systems in real-time, produce and process high volumes of scientific data, and provide operational interfaces for diverse user groups an exciting challenge? Then, this position may be for you.

We are looking for a Telescope Software Developer to support our Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre. The Software Developer would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Creativity.

As the successful candidate, you will become part of a diverse team of computer scientists, technicians, engineers, and astronomers; developing and operating advanced radio telescopes on site and around the world to support world class science. You will become an integral member of the software development team, working within an Agile methodology, designing, developing, and maintaining software and software/physical infrastructure that enables current and future astronomical discovery.

Primary responsibilities would include but are not limited to:

• Maintaining deployed operational software systems (physical servers, networking, hardware interfaces, and software).
• Maintaining/updating software, testing functionality of the whole system, basic hardware interface testing, replacing computer and other hardware components, and related activities.
• Participating in the design, development, and implementation of test or prototype hardware/software systems.
• Maintaining knowledge of current software development best practices, languages, libraries/frameworks, etc. and integrating them into daily work.
• Working in consultation with telescope/instrument users, scientists, engineers, technologist, and project/team leads in performance of job tasks.

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

• A bachelor’s degree from a recognized university in Computer Science, Engineering (with computational component), or a related discipline.
• A graduate degree from a recognized university in Astronomy or a related discipline may be considered.
• The equivalency of a diploma from a recognized college or post-secondary institute in a software development related field combined with extensive (minimum 5 years) experience in a team environment may be considered.

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

Experience

1. Experience in developing software as part of a multidisciplinary team.
2. Experience in developing software for interfacing with physical hardware.
3. Experience in developing software for data processing.
4. Experience in developing software for distributed systems (client/server, pub/sub messaging, networking, etc.).
5. Experience in developing, testing, and deploying software in a DevOps environment with containerization and service orchestration tools.
6. Experience in maintaining operational software systems and physical computing hardware.
7. Experience in producing technical documentation.

The following may be considered as assets:

• Knowledge of and/or experience using signal processing techniques.
• Knowledge of and/or experience processing astronomical or other radio-frequency data.
• Experience working with large datasets and distributed storage systems in realtime or offline.
• Experience writing software for GPUs or FPGAs.
• Experience developing combined hardware/software systems.
• Experience developing front-end user interfaces (CLI, graphical, web).

Condition of employment

Reliability Status
For a Reliability Status, verification of background information over a period of 5 years is required.

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

• Ability to develop software as part of an Agile team, in a collaborative (source control, code reviews), DevOps (testing, automation) environment.
• Ability to develop back-end software for a variety of use cases (communication/messaging, hardware interfaces, data processing, etc.) in high-level and low-level languages.
• Ability to diagnose problems with operational software, analyze them systematically, and present different solutions and their benefits and/or disadvantages.
• Ability to write software for and manage/troubleshoot software deployment systems (DevOps, containers, orchestration) in a Linux environment.
• Ability to perform basic networking and computing hardware selection, installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
• Ability to explain technical tools clearly to users with varied levels of experience through documentation, demos, tutorials, workshops, or user support.

Behavioural competencies

Competency Profile(s)

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

View all competency profiles

Compensation

From $86,503 to $108,068 per annum.

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including a robust pension plan, comprehensive health and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, office closure at the end of December, and additional supports to enhance your well-being throughout your career and beyond.

About the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre

We are Canada's gateway to the stars. At the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre, we maintain and operate Canada's largest and most powerful observatories and represent the country in some of the world's leading astronomy initiatives. We are astronomy and astrophysics experts, conducting cutting-edge research, operating Canada's national observatories, providing extensive data management and analysis tools through our Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, supporting activities at international observatories and developing advanced astronomical instruments with industrial partners.

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About DRAO

DRAO is a major research facility operated by NRC’s Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Center (HAA). It’s located near Penticton, British Columbia, and is one of Canada’s key centers for radio astronomy and related technologies.

DRAO focuses on both scientific research and technical innovation. Main areas include:

• Radio telescope observations: Studying galaxies, nebulae, supernova remnants, and cosmic magnetic fields.
• Instrumentation development: Designing and building advanced receivers, correlators, and electronics for radio telescopes.
• Interferometry: Using multiple antennas to create high-resolution images of the radio sky.
• Signal processing and calibration: Developing software and hardware to process astronomical data.
  
  

DRAO houses several key instruments:

• Synthesis Telescope: A seven-element interferometer that maps large areas of the sky in radio frequencies, particularly in the hydrogen line at 1420MHz.
• 26-m Telescope: A large single-dish radio telescope used for studies of galactic and extragalactic radio sources.
• Solar Radio Monitoring Array: Used to monitor solar radio emissions and space weather.
• Engineering and test facilities: Support prototype development for national and international radio observatories.
  
  

DRAO contributes engineering expertise and technology to major international efforts, such as SKA, ALMA, and Canadian Hydrogen Observatory and Radio-transient Detector (CHORD).

About Penticton

Nestled between two lakes, Penticton enjoys long, hot summers, dry winters and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine each year. We’re located in the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, which is easily accessed by major highways and airports.

We're known for our beaches, wine and orchards, not to mention a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. Hop on your bike to discover award-winning wineries and trails with stellar views. Shop at the bustling outdoor market, peruse art galleries or go skating at the modern Community Centre. Ski champagne powder slopes or take in a hockey game or concert at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Penticton is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people. Its name, from the Interior Salish word snpintktn, is commonly translated as "a place to stay forever," or more accurately, “a place where people live year-round.” It’s the kind of place where people come to visit for the holidays – and never want to leave.

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Notes

• In 2025, the NRC was chosen as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, a National Capital Region Top Employer and Forbes Canada’s Best Employer.
• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.
• A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• 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.