Science Lead

Hypersonica GmbH; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Autonomy

Direct access to founders

PhD pipeline opportunity

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Hypersonica GmbH invites a senior science leader to establish and guide Canada’s scientific agenda from the ground up. You will shape research priorities aligned with vehicle development, partner with leading Canadian universities, and build an enduring hypersonics ecosystem with direct industrial impact.

You will translate research into practical models and flight-relevant technology, oversee experimental programs, and secure funding to grow a capable Canadian science team including PhD

Qualifications

• Senior scientific leader in aerospace or hypersonics domains.
• Strong track record in leading research partnerships with universities and government labs.
• Experience with experimental facilities like high-speed wind tunnels or plasma wind tunnels.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead Hypersonica’s scientific and academic activities in Canada, aligning priorities with vehicle and flight-test roadmap.
• Build strategic partnerships with Canadian universities, research institutes and government laboratories.
• Establish a Canadian hypersonics PhD programme to create a pipeline of researchers and engineers.
• Lead research programmes in hypersonic aerothermodynamics, high-temperature materials and experimental methods.
• Drive development of ground-test capabilities and aerospace research infrastructure.
• Translate research into usable models, technologies, and IP for Hypersonica’s programs.
• Secure external research funding and represent Hypersonica with universities and funding bodies.
• Build and lead a focused Canadian science team including researchers and PhD students.

Job description

Hypersonica is building sovereign hypersonic capability in Europe and Canada.

We move quickly, work directly with governments and end users, and combine fundamental science with engineering, ground testing and flight.

As we build Hypersonica Canada, we are looking for aScience Lead to establish and lead our Canadian scientific and academic capability from the ground up.

This is not a purely academic role, and it is not research for research’s sake.

You will define the scientific questions that matter to our vehicles and programmes, build partnerships with Canada’s leading universities and research institutions, develop new experimental capability and create a pipeline of researchers who can contribute directly to real hypersonic systems.

You will work closely with our engineering and flight test teams, ensuring that research in areas such as aerothermodynamics, high temperature materials and experimental methods translates into better models, better hardware and better flight performance.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to help build something much larger than a research team: a long term Canadian hypersonics research ecosystem with direct industrial and flight impact.

What you'll do

• Own and lead Hypersonica’s scientific and academic activities in Canada, aligning research priorities with the company’s vehicle, propulsion and flight-test roadmap.
• Build strategic partnerships with leading Canadian universities, research institutes and government laboratories.
• Establish a Canadian hypersonics PhD programme, creating a pipeline of researchers and engineers for Hypersonica and the wider Canadian ecosystem.
• Develop a long-term university partnership, including the potential sponsorship of a professorship in hypersonics or a related discipline.
• Lead research programmes in hypersonic aerothermodynamics, high-temperature materials, leading-edge technologies and associated experimental methods.
• Drive the development of advanced ground-test capabilities, including plasma wind-tunnel facilities that complement Canada’s existing high-speed wind tunnels.
• Translate scientific research into usable models, technologies, test methods and intellectual property for Hypersonica’s programmes.
• Secure external research funding and represent Hypersonica in engagements with universities, laboratories and government funding bodies.
• Build and lead a focused Canadian science team, including researchers, PhD students and academic collaborators.

Who you are

• A senior scientist, research leader or technical academic with deep expertise in hypersonics, aerothermodynamics, high-temperature materials, propulsion or experimental aerospace research.
• Experienced building and leading collaborative research programmes across industry, universities and government institutions.
• Strongly connected to the Canadian or international aerospace research ecosystem.
• Experienced with advanced experimental facilities such as high-speed, trisonic, hypersonic or plasma wind tunnels.
• Able to connect fundamental research with practical vehicle development, ground testing and flight-test requirements.
• Experienced supervising researchers or PhD students and building high-performing scientific teams.
• Credible with academic, technical and government stakeholders and capable of securing research partnerships and funding.
• Motivated by building a sovereign Canadian hypersonics research capability with direct industrial and flight impact.

What we offer

• The opportunity to build Hypersonica’s Canadian science and research capability from the very beginning
• Significant autonomy to shape the scientific roadmap, research partnerships and academic strategy
• Direct access to the founders, CTO and senior engineering leadership
• The opportunity to establish long-term partnerships with leading Canadian universities, laboratories and research institutions
• The ability to create a Canadian hypersonics PhD pipeline and shape the development of future researchers and engineers
• The opportunity to influence the development of new ground-test and experimental facilities
• Close connection between research, engineering, ground testing and real flight programmes
• The freedom to pursue research that has a clear path to practical application rather than being separated from the product
• A small, talent-dense environment with short decision paths and minimal bureaucracy
• Competitive compensation and meaningful participation in the long-term success of the company

We are deliberately building an organisation where science does not sit separately from engineering.

The best research should change how we design, model, test and fly.

This is not a role for someone who wants to remain at a distance from the hardware or focus only on publications and academic output.

You will be expected to build institutions, create partnerships, ask difficult scientific questions and make sure the answers ultimately improve real systems.

If you want to help build a sovereign Canadian hypersonics research capability with direct impact on future vehicles, test facilities and flight programmes, come and build it with us.