Thanks for the help on this. The institute that I'm going to be working for is still waiting to hear from the University's international services office on whether they think I can work under a TN-1 visa.

It was suggested that they would work on getting me a J-1 visa after I move there. I'm a bit concerned about the "stay home clause" where you have to go back to your home country for 2 years. Do you know anything about that? Does it apply to Canadians?