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 molecular ecology, plant ecology or genetics?
• Want to contribute to research in the use of eDNA for weed surveillance?
• 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 in developing eDNA tools for weed surveillance and data analytic pipelines integrating other surveillance data sources, such as remote sensing, with the support of the team’s expertise in the areas eDNA, biosecurity and remote sensing. The core aspects of the project are: 1) to design and compare different eDNA protocols for weed surveillance, 2) conduct field validation experiments and 3) contribute to the development of an analytical workflow integrating eDNA and remote sensing data to predict target weed’s distributions.

Your duties will include:

• Develop protocols and methods to sample eDNA for surveillance work of high-priority weeds. 
• Design and conduct field experiments to quantify the sensitivity and accuracy of weed surveillance using different eDNA methods and approaches.
• Develop workflows and species distribution models that integrate different data sources (e.g. eDNA, remote sensing) for weed surveillance work.
• Carry out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes.

Location:  Black Mountain, ACT

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

Tenure:  Specified term of 3 years

Reference:  90872

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as molecular ecology, plant ecology or genetics. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in molecular biology and/or eDNA analysis.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in statistical and/or spatial analyses.
• Demonstrated skills and experience programming in R and/or Python.
• Willingness to do field work with support and training from the project team.

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