Career Advice

Location: Canberra, ACT, AU

Company: CSIRO

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation

Child Safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.

 

The Opportunity

• Do you have a PhD in a relevant discipline area, such as computer science, pest management, agroecology, agronomy, zoology (with a focus on entomology)?
• Conduct research to develop foundational spatial platforms for agripest control.
• Join CSIRO – Australia’s leading scientific research organisation! 

 

CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate and have less than three years of relevant postdoctoral work experience. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system.

 

The CERC Fellow will work closely with scientists and technical staff within the Agroecology team to develop and test computer simulation models for the optimized deployment of mass-produced biological control agents in canola production landscapes. This work is part of a large 5-year multi-organisational project to enable improved management of beneficials (predators and parasitic wasps) in canola production landscapes. Ultimately, this research output could develop into a tool to assist industry to plan for augmentative or inoculative releases of beneficials to suppress pests.

 

The CERC Fellow will be responsible for the first step of developing the underlying simulation model and testing this with our collaborators. They will work with the broader team and the biological supplies industry to formulate scenarios, design limited field studies to test the models, and work with interested growers to road test deployment on-farm. 

This project has commenced, and we are looking for candidates who would be willing to start this position by early 2024.

 

Your duties will include:

• Carrying out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes. 
• Recognising and exploiting opportunities for innovation and the generation of new theoretical perspectives, and progress opportunities for the further development or creation of new lines of research.
• Utilising design thinking methodology to plan and prepare research proposals, and apply non-academic impact methodology to research projects.
• Recording, managing, and analysing data/information using relevant domain data science techniques.

 

Location:  Canberra, ACT preferred (Brisbane considered for exceptional candidates)

Salary:  AU$92k - AU$101k plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure:  Specified term of 3 years

Reference:  94408

 

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as computer science, pest management, agroecology, agronomy, zoology (with a focus on entomology). Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Experience in ecological modelling of predator-prey or parasitoid-pest interactions, or relevant species interaction modelling.
• Knowledge of agricultural production systems and insect pest management including the role of beneficial insects.
• Experience in, or willingness to learn, spatial simulation modelling techniques to generate scenarios relevant to pest management across landscapes.
• Experience in designing and/or undertaking field-based research, with a willingness to undertake field-based research as part of this role that will require some nights away from home base.

 

For full details about this role please view the Position Description

 

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents or you must either hold, or be able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

 

Flexible Working Arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

 

Diversity and Inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs, whether we are undertaking research, engaging with the public or nurturing future scientists in person or online. Source – CSIRO Child Safe policy 2023

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

 

How to Apply

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

 

Applications Close

26 November 2023, 11:00pm AEDT