Research Fellow - Department of Physics | Te Kura Mātai Ahupūngao – Fixed Term - 26 Months (Optical Communications)

Location: Auckland City Campus and Ardmore Field Station, New Zealand. Regular work at Ardmore Field Station is required, including occasional evening, night, early-morning, and weekend observations; some travel within New Zealand and internationally may be required.

Salary: NZ$99,788–NZ$106,259 per annum, dependent on skills and experience.

Company

The Faculty of Science at the hirify.global conducts research across the physical, biological, and computational sciences and operates extensive research, laboratory, library, and computing facilities.

What you will do

• Operate the Taiaho telescope, optical receiver instrumentation, control systems, environmental monitoring, and data-acquisition systems.
• Maintain observatory readiness through calibration, testing, rehearsals, checklists, and documented procedures.
• Plan and conduct satellite-pass campaigns, including preparation, real-time observations, data capture, and post-pass review.
• Analyse acquisition and tracking performance, optical power, signal-to-noise ratio, throughput, packet or frame loss, and bit error rate.
• Coordinate synchronised experiments with researchers and operators across Australasian Optical Ground Station Network sites.
• Produce technical reports, publications, presentations, operational procedures, and training for students and additional operators.

Requirements

• PhD in physics, astronomy, optical science, electrical or communications engineering, aerospace engineering, space systems, or a closely related discipline.
• Hands-on experience operating, commissioning, or supporting complex scientific or engineering instrumentation.
• Experience planning time-critical observations, field campaigns, communications tests, or comparable experimental activities.
• Experience collecting, quality-controlling, and analysing quantitative experimental data.
• Competence with scientific data-analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or equivalent.
• Willingness and ability to work at Ardmore Field Station outside normal working hours when required by satellite-pass opportunities.

Nice to have

• Experience with astronomical telescopes, robotic observatories, optical or satellite ground stations, or satellite tracking.
• Knowledge of free-space optical communications, laser communications, optical receiver systems, or communications-system metrics.
• Experience with telescope calibration and alignment, satellite-orbit prediction, atmospheric effects, Linux-based scientific systems, or laser safety.
• Experience with international research collaborations or training students and facility operators.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employment at 40 hours per week on a fixed-term 26-month contract.
• Flexible employment practices where compatible with operational requirements.
• Up to 6.75% employer superannuation contributions and five weeks of annual leave.
• Career-development and professional-training programmes.
• Parental-leave provisions, childcare services, and internal and external service discounts.

Hiring process

• Submit a cover letter, CV, and a brief statement addressing the essential skills and experience.
• Applications must be submitted online by 8 October 2026; applications cannot be accepted by email.