Hydrochemist - Seagoing - [Archived Advertisement]

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. 

The Opportunity

• Build your career with Australia's premier scientific organisation 
• Collaborative, flexible, innovative workplace that values you and your career development 
• Join CSIRO and support Australia's premier scientific organisation! 

The Hydrochemist sits within the Engineering and Analytics Group as part of the Engineering and Technology Program in CSIRO’s National Collections and Marine Infrastructure (NCMI). You will provide support to the Marine National Facility (MNF) research vessel, RV Investigator, and Hobart shore laboratory through sample collection, chemical analysis, data interpretation and detailed quality-controlled data reports. 

Your duties will include:

As the succesful applicant, you will be based in the CSIRO Laboratories in Hobart. Onshore, your role includes following existing standard operating procedures, performing laboratory analyses, maintaining laboratory instrumentation and calibrations, preparation for voyages, and discussion of results and data quality with clients. As part of this role, you will participate in coastal fieldwork based on small boats including sample collection and in situ nutrient analysis.

• Collect and analyse seawater samples for a variety of nutrient species including nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate and silicate, and salinity and dissolved oxygen whilst at sea, and with the application of rigorous quality control and quality assurance procedures.
• Under technical direction maintain sampling equipment and calibrate analytical equipment in the laboratory and on research vessels.
• Adapt and/or develop original techniques/procedures/equipment/concepts/ideas to support existing research and further our understanding of existing methods.
• Process analytical results and apply quality measures in alignment with best practices, including statistical data analysis and report writing
• Liaise with clients, scientists and stakeholders and other experts concerning data collection, processing, archiving and problem resolution
• Troubleshoot and document issues with instrumentation
• Teamwork as part of a multi-disciplinary, regionally dispersed research team.

Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Salary: AU$66163 - AU$84207 plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Indefinite
Reference: 79641

To be considered you will need:

Essential:
Under CSIRO policy only those who meet all essential selection criteria can be appointed.

• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident with a tertiary qualification in Chemistry or equivalent experience in chemistry with an emphasis on analytical chemistry and/or marine chemistry
• Demonstrated 2+ years of chemical laboratory skills as follows:
  • Operation of chemical instrumentation
  • Use of basic laboratory equipment and preparation of reagents and calibration standards
  • Experience processing and interpreting analytical results
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communications skills, including demonstrated ability to clearly document methods, data reports and detailed manuals.
• A strong customer-centric support ethic with the ability to provide a high level of technical support and operate laboratory at sea for the duration of voyages (up to 85 days per year, typically 2 to 6 weeks in duration).
   

Desirable:

• Experience with flow chemistry and/or measuring nutrients and/or assessing nutrient datasets in a research setting
• Familiarity with Microsoft Excel, LIMS/database and/or Python, Matlab, or R.
• Experience with automated or semi-automated chemistry instruments operated by software (examples - Seal AA3, Seal AA100, Guildline Autosal and Metrohm based titration systems)
• Experience at sea – professionally or recreationally
• Experience reviewing and understanding data using quality controls. Experience of measurement uncertainty, and performing statistical analysis on datasets
• Experience providing customer facing support.
• Experience troubleshooting and resolving technical issues with instrumentation.

For full details about this role please review the Position Description

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this role you must be an Australian or New Zealand Citizen or be an Australian Permanent Resident.

The successful applicant will be required to obtain and provide a National Police Check or equivalent. Additional integrity checks may be required for specific roles which require security clearance for working with children, Australian Government cybersecurity requirements or other identified security roles.

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. 

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

6th February 2022, 11:00pm AEST/AEDT