  We report the development of superconducting tantalum nitride (TaN$_{x} $)
normal metal-insulator-superconductor (NIS) tunnel junctions. For the
insulating barrier, we used both AlO$_{x}$ and TaO$_{x}$
(Cu-AlO$_{x}$-Al-TaN$_{x} $ and Cu-TaO$_{x}$-TaN$_{x} $), with both devices
exhibiting temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics which follow
the simple one-particle tunneling model. The superconducting gap follows a BCS
type temperature dependence, rendering these devices suitable for sensitive
thermometry and bolometry from the superconducting transition temperature
$T_{\text{C}}$ of the TaN$_{x} $ film at $\sim 5$ K down to $\sim$ 0.5 K.
Numerical simulations were also performed to predict how junction parameters
should be tuned to achieve electronic cooling at temperatures above 1 K.
