• Salary Package:Level A Step 6 from $93,830 to $100,559 per annum, plus 17% employer superannuation and annual leave loading. Pro-rata rates apply for part-time appointment
• Appointment Type:  Part-time (0.75 FTE, 26.25 hours per week), fixed-term up to 28 months
• Macquarie University (North Ryde) location

The Role

An exciting role has become available in the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University. We are seeking a qualified Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a team with an international reputation for producing high quality research on collective behaviour and self-organisation in animal groups.

Macquarie is a young and dynamic university, focused on fostering collaboration between students, academics, industry and society, encouraging all to traverse the boundaries of their own perspective and effect change. In Macquarie's Faculty of Science and Engineering you'll join passionate researchers and educators blazing new trails in the spirit of discovery and exploration.The Department of Biological Sciences is located on a beautiful, serene and green campus in northern Sydney.

About the Project

The successful candidate will work with a world-leading team of experimental biologists and mathematical computational modellers on ‘Self-organised communication as a foundation of large, complex societies’

The project will empirically analyse the communication network structures in ant colonies. It will measure the interaction networks of individuals in colonies using AI-based visual tracking and it will analyse the topological and temporal properties of these networks.

Selection Criteria

To be considered for this position, applicants must address the selection criteria below, and attach your CV (including a list of two referees), a statement of research interests and achievements.

Essential

• PhD in animal behaviour, preferably with social insects
• Experience in task allocation and laziness in social insect colonies
• Experience in computer vision for individual tracking
• Experience in computational and mathematical modelling of insect social networks
• Skills and experience in modelling temporal network properties
• Excellent communication skills, with an ability to engage with staff and students across discipline boundaries

If you are interested in working at the intersection of ecology, behaviour, and complex systems science, in a project that meshes experimental biology and computational science we encourage you to contact us for further discussion.

Specific Role Enquiries: Dr Chris Reid at chris.reid@mq.edu.au

General Enquiries: Anne Kumanan at anne.kumanan@mq.edu.au

Applications Close: Friday, 19th June 2020 at 11:55 pm

At Macquarie University, we are committed to providing a working environment where each individual is valued, respected and supported to progress. Our priority is to ensure culture, policies and processes are truly inclusive and that no-one is disadvantaged on the basis of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity, gender, culture, disability, LGBTIQA+ identities, family and caring responsibilities, age, or religion. We encourage everyone who meets the selection criteria and shares Macquarie University’s values of scholarship, empowerment and integrity to apply.

Learn more about our progress towards Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.