CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship in Advanced Analytics for Regenerative Agriculture Systems - [Archived Advertisement]

The Opportunity

• Do you have a PhD in agricultural systems or ecology, systems modelling, or agricultural economics?
• Provide leadership in the quantitative systems analysis of regenerative agricultural practices
• Exciting opportunity to build research skills and a multidisciplinary network within CSIRO, nationally and internationally

This CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Fellow will develop components of an underpinning framework to evaluate regenerative agriculture interventions. Advanced decision support for land managers through digital integration and analysis of complex farming systems represents core frontier science within CSIRO’s Agriculture and Food business unit. Improved confidence in predicting the outcomes of regenerative agriculture interventions will lead to faster adoption of beneficial practices, confidence by consumers of agricultural products that concerns around production footprints are being managed and will assist farmers to avoid implementing changes that are not scientifically substantiated.

The CERC Fellow will provide leadership in the quantitative systems analysis of regenerative agricultural practices by combining farming systems modelling and advanced analytics capabilities, applied in the mixed farming region of southern Australia. This work contributes to CSIRO’s Resilient Farming Systems impact area and will provide an ideal opportunity to develop your research skills in evaluating farming systems, economic and risk scenarios.  The position will be supervised by an internationally recognised research team.

The CERC Fellow will build a multidisciplinary network within CSIRO, nationally and internationally. The economic assessment framework will be ground truthed in close consultation with collaborating producers who are considering or have applied regenerative agriculture interventions.  Research outputs will be published in high-impact international journals and presented at conferences.  

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. CERC fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system. We are thrilled to be able to deliver on the commitment we made in our strategy to invest in frontier science with the new CSIRO Agriculture & Food Winanga-y Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme. The word Winanga-y (pronounced win-na-gnay) is a cultural asset gifted by the Gomeroi Nation in Myall Vale to CSIRO's Agriculture and Food Business Unit to name the Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme. Winanga-y means to understand, know, remember, and think.

Your duties will include:

• Reviewing the current literature relating to regenerative agricultural practices, focusing on economic analysis of complex practice change and the key metrics required for assessing profit and risk in regenerative agriculture scenarios.
• Addressing the question of how regenerative agricultural interventions affect farm profit and risk, during implementation and maintenance of practice change.
• Identifying sources of data that are important for analysis of regenerative agriculture scenarios.
• Developing new methods to assess the costs and benefits associated with regenerative agriculture, particularly in relation to the productivity of mixed farming systems.

Location: Perth, Western Australia
Salary: AU$89k - AU$98k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified term of 3 years
Reference: 84408

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as agricultural systems or ecology, systems modelling, or agricultural economics. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (or full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of farm economic evaluation, including profit, risk and emerging markets such as carbon and natural capital.
• Demonstrated understanding of farming systems analysis, including modelling of mixed farming systems or their components.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including the presentation of research outcomes at national and international conferences.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description

Eligibility

CSIRO is an Equal Opportunity employer working hard to recruit world-class talent that represents the diversity across our society. As part of our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes, preference will be given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates who meet the role criteria.

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. 

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

14 July 2022, 11:00pm AEST