Technical Officer, Diagnostic R&D Scientist

Tenure:

Term

Duration: 2 years

Language Requirements: English or French

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.

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

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Medical Devices Research Centre is seeking a Technical Officer (TO3) specializing in diagnostic development to support R&D activities in the Cell Models and Antibody Technology team of the Digital Health and Molecular Technologies Directorate. The successful candidate will contribute technical expertise to the development, testing and validation of diagnostic assays and systems to used in areas such as in vitro diagnostics and precision medicine.

Working closely with researchers, the Technical Officer will assist in the design, prototyping, and validation of lateral flow and biosensor diagnostic platforms, supporting both fundamental discovery and applied research leading to commercialization.

The selected candidate will join a multidisciplinary team of scientists and technical experts contributing to NRC’s biomedical innovation pipeline—translating scientific concepts into validated prototypes that advance Canada’s medical device ecosystem.

Duties include:

• Execute experiments for diagnostic assay development (lateral flow, immunoassay, biosensor platforms).
• Support assay optimization, performance validation, and data collection to ensure reliability and reproducibility.
• Conduct sample preparation, reagent formulation, and test assembly, maintaining precise documentation.
• Operate and maintain laboratory equipment, ensuring compliance with NRC safety and quality standards.
• Contribute to data analysis and technical reports, assisting scientists and engineers in project execution.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and with external partners to advance diagnostic R&D initiatives.

About Medical Devices

The Medical Devices (MD) Research center has the mandate to support economic development through innovation in health care, including innovative diagnostic tests and instruments. The research center's primary sector of activity is the medical devices and diagnostic industry with impact on all aspects of life sciences in innovative analytics and biomarker detection (medical diagnostics, point-of-care devices, process analytics, biodefence, cell & gene therapy, etc.).

We support the Canadian ecosystem in the development, translation and implementation of medical device innovations.

Why work with us

Relying on scientific fundamentals and biomedical engineering expertise, we maintain a deep understanding of the research path from idea to market.

We believe we can support the growth of Canada's medical device ecosystem, given our:

• deep biomedical acumen
• commitment to research excellence and translation to clinical use
• strong connectivity with clinicians, industry, academia and government
• track record of ideation-to-market, with the ability to skillfully navigate at any point of the translation

More on working with us…

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

Post-secondary education in biochemistry, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, or a related field.

A university degree in one of these areas may be considered an asset.

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

Experience

• Hands-on experience in lateral flow assay, immunoassays and other diagnostic test development and validation.
• Experience with developing assays across multiple platforms (protein, nucleic acid, cell-based).
• Experience working in diverse applications (infectious disease, oncology, biomarkers, etc).
• Experience in synthetic biology, molecular biology, recombinant protein and cell-based assays systems.
• Experience in assay sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and performance metrics (LoD, LoQ, precision, etc.).

Condition of employment

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

Language requirements

English or French

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 design, prototype, and fabricate lateral flow and immunoassay-based diagnostic platforms, with in-depth knowledge of assay components.
• Knowledge of molecular and protein-based assay systems, such as molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression, and cell-based assays.
• Knowledge of diagnostic performance metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, precision, reproducibility, and limits of detection and quantification.
• Ability to perform laboratory and technical operations, including equipment calibration, safe handling of biological materials, and accurate data recording.
• Knowledge of regulatory and quality standards such as ISO 13485, CLIA, and Health Canada guidelines for diagnostic development.

Behavioural competencies

• Research Technician/Technologist - Client focus (Level 2)
• Research Technician/Technologist - Communication (Level 2)
• Research Technician/Technologist - Initiative (Level 1)
• Research Technician/Technologist - Results orientation (Level 2)
• Research Technician/Technologist - Teamwork (Level 2)

Competency Profile(s)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile: Research Technician/Technologist

View all competency profiles

Compensation

From $66,126 to $91,012 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.