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

• Do you have a PhD in biology, bioinformatics or a related field?
• Do you want to advance your scientific knowledge & experience? 
• 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.

In this position you will undertake research to develop a novel, integrated risk management approach combining diverse molecular and ecological data sources to digitally transform biocontrol research for high-priority biosecurity threats. You will collaborate across different parts of CSIRO including the Plant Systematics and Population Genetics Team at the Australian National Herbarium, the Weed Management Systems Group in Health & Biosecurity, and Information Management & Technology. You will also engage with the global biocontrol community and subject matter experts to advance best-practice approaches in biocontrol risk assessments.

Your duties will include:

• Develop a novel integrated, evidence-based risk assessment methodology for biological control research.
• Empirically test the risk assessment framework with real-world cases.
• Select and evaluate best-practice methods and data sources in consultation with subject matter experts for data mining, analytics, and visualisation.
• Implement the framework in a format accessible to biocontrol practitioners.
• Lead publications and other communications of the project results to stakeholders.

Location:  Black Mountain, ACT
Salary:  AU$92 - AU$101k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified term of 3 years
Reference:  90660

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as biology or bioinformatics. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in at least one of any of the following areas: 
       a.    biological control research; 
       b.    plant taxonomy and phylogenetics; 
       c.    weed science; 
       d.    ecology or taxonomy of biocontrol agents (insects, nematodes, fungal pathogens); 
       e.    analysis of large biodiversity collection datasets;
       f.    ecological modelling; 
       g.    software engineering or bioinformatics.
• Interest in and ability to work across different fields of research and to understand at a high level and synthesise their diverse challenges, constraints, quality requirements, and analytic approaches.
• Interest in and ability to use diverse data sources and types (e.g., DNA sequences, phylogenetic trees, spatial biodiversity data, traits) for innovative analyses and visualisations.
• Experience in coding and scientific computing for efficient, customised analyses and data processing, e.g., Python, R, and/or Bash

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 Australian temporary residents currently residing in Australia and be able to commence in the role by 30 June 2023.

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

31 January 2023, 11:00pm AEDT