Hattori began her academic career as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 1977 and participated in the International Drilling project as a Canadian delegate to study volcanic rocks and thermal alteration in Iceland. In 1980, she moved to the University of Calgary as a Research Associate jointly affiliated with the Department of Physics and the Department of Geology and Geophysics. Three years later, she joined the University of Ottawa as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Geology in 1987.
She was the first female Professor in earth science departments within the national capital region as well as the first female Professor of mineral deposits in Canada. In 1994 she became Full Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Ottawa. She was awarded the title of Distinguished University Professor in 2023 for her contributions to scientific research and education.
Hattori has held numerous administrative appointments throughout her career. From July 1991 to June 1994, she served as the Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre. In 2004, she was appointed as the department chair for Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa, a position she held for four years. 
Apart from the administrative work related to universities, she has been engaged in the activities of several scientific organizations including Mineralogical Society of America, Society of Economic Geologists, and Royal Society of Canada. She is Director of Earth, Ocean and Atmosphere Science Division of Royal Society of Canada (2021-2024).
Hattori was an appraiser of graduate-research programs at various Ontario Universities (1999-2002) and geoscience program reviewers of American University of Beirut in Lebanon (2016-17), Western University (2012) and Hiroshima University (2009).
Hattori has been appointed as Visiting Professor at Université de Lyon (1999) and l’Universiteé Grenoble (2016), Visiting Scientist at Japan Marine Science and Technology (2003-2004), Visiting Professor at Nagoya Institute, Guest Research Scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1995-1996), Visiting Research Scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1989-1990).