Technical Officer, Facility Leader

National Research Council Canada; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa seeks a Facility Leader to support the Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre. The role collaborates with researchers, facility operations staff, contractors and vendors to maintain and advance NRC’s state‑of‑the‑art research infrastructure.

The successful candidate ensures facilities are operated safely, efficiently and in alignment with project requirements, quality standards, budgets and client expectations.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing activities in a research institute or industrial research facility including scheduling, calibration, operation and maintenance, and oversight of laboratory users.

Responsibilities

• Manages facilities, laboratories and resources to maximize utilization, safety, cost efficiency and reliability.
• Prepares annual budget requirements for facility operations and maintenance.
• Oversees maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, repair and installation of complex equipment.
• Provides supervision to facility coordinators including scheduling, coaching and follow-up.
• Manages capital equipment acquisition and installation projects.
• Develops and validates protocols, laboratory set-ups and SOPs.
• Plans and conducts complex tests and experiments.
• Coordinates with clients, project managers, researchers, engineers, vendors and service groups to resolve issues.
• Supports project planning, delivery, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Develops safety programs and implements hazard prevention practices.
• Reports safety and environmental concerns and proposes improvements.

Skills

Budget management

Facilities management

Health & safety

Project coordination

Vendor coordination

Team supervision

Problem solving

Education

Technical/engineering/science degree

Experience with research facilities

Tools

Office software

HPP knowledge

Lab equipment calibration

Job description

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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.

OrganizationalUnit:Clean Energy Innovation

Classification:TO-5

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.

At the NRC, we recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important 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

We are looking for a Facility Leader to support the NRC’s Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre in Ottawa. The Facility Leader would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

The successful candidate will work closely with researchers, facility operations staff, contractors, and vendors to maintain and advance the performance of NRC’s state-of-the-art research infrastructure.

The position plays a key role in ensuring that facilities are operated safely, efficiently and in alignment with project requirements, quality standards, budgets and client expectations.

If you’re a technically skilled, safety-minded professional, we’d like to hear from you.

The key responsibilities of the Facility Leader are the following:

• Manages assigned facilities, laboratories and physical resources to maximize utilization, safety, cost efficiency and reliability.
• Prepares annual budget requirements for facility operations and maintenance, managing assigned budgets, and supporting facility rate reviews and cost recovery.
• Oversees maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, repair and installation of complex equipment, tools and instrumentation.
• Provides functional supervision and guidance to facility coordinators, including workload planning, scheduling, coaching and follow-up.
• Manages, oversees, or supports capital equipment acquisition and installation projects.
• Develops, reviews, or validates technical instructions, protocols, standard operating procedures and laboratory set‑ups.
• Designs, plans, conducts and analyzes complex tests and experiments.
• Interacts with clients, project managers, researchers, engineers, vendors and internal service groups to coordinate work and resolve issues.
• Supports project planning, delivery, quality assurance, lessons learned and continuous improvement.
• Develops tools and procedures in support of implementing NRC’s safety‑related programs, such as the hazard prevention program (HPP).
• Oversees or leads the implementation of specific health and safety programs.
• Promotes and adheres to NRC’s established health, safety, and environmental standards
• Participates in hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation planning.
• Provides appropriate on-the-job instruction and orientation to staff on HSE programs and procedures.
• Reports safety and environmental concerns and proposes improvements to enhance workplace safety and compliance.

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 a technical, engineering or scientific discipline related to the position from a recognized university.

A combination of a post-secondary degree in another field with significant work experience relevant to the position will be considered.

• Significant experience in managing activities in a research institute or industrial research facility or laboratory including scheduling of resources, equipment calibration, operation and maintenance, training and oversight of laboratory users, and purchasing and inventory control, preferably in a chemistry or materials processing related setting.
• Experience in setting up, maintaining, and optimizing research laboratories or facilities.
• Significant and recent experience in implementing environmental, health and safety programs in a laboratory environment.
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams and functional supervision of technical staff.
• Experience working with internal and external clients, vendors, suppliers, researchers, engineers, project managers and health and safety representatives.
• Experience coordinating small projects or capital projects, including planning, resourcing, risk management and delivery.
• Experience designing and implementing processes and procedures in a research facility environment including those related to health and safety.
• Experience providing advice and support to management related to facility investments and health and safety.

"Significant" refers to 2 to 6 years of experience and "recent" refers to experience obtained within the last 3 years.

Condition of employment

Reliability Status

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

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

• Knowledge of facility, laboratory or technical service operations, including equipment scheduling, maintenance, calibration, procurement and inventory management.
• Knowledge of research facility practices, quality assurance, standard operating procedures and good laboratory practices.
• Knowledge of occupational health and safety regulations, procedures and practices required to maintain a safe work environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex facility, laboratory and equipment issues and determine practical solutions.
• Ability to prepare technical reports, protocols, and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to use general office software and specialized domain‑specific software.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, instructions, specifications, manuals and scientific or technical literature.
• Ability to set priorities, manage time and adjust resources to meet changing operational and project demands.
• Knowledge of finance and procurement principles, policies and procedures would be considered an asset.
• Technology extension - Conceptual and analytical ability (Level 3)
• Management services - Initiative (Level 3)

In addition, the incumbent will receive the Bilingualism Bonus of$800 per year.

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.

Notes

• In 2026, 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.
• Must be able to travel locally, nationally and/or internationally.
• A valid driver's license and access to the use of a vehicle are required.
• 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.

Please direct your questions, with therequisition number (25336) to:

Closing Date: 02 December 2026 - 23:59 Eastern Time

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