Associate Research Fellow / Research Fellow, Ecology and Biodiversity

• Based at our Melbourne, Burwood Campus
• Full-time and fixed term for 3 years
• Level A $74,024 - $99,512 or Level B $104,619 - $123,739 + 17% Superannuation

Founded in 1974, Deakin is a public university in Victoria with 61,000 students across five campuses: Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront, Warrnambool, and the online Campus. We are a progressive and open-minded university, with the highest student satisfaction in Victoria and consistently ranked in the top 1% of the world’s universities. 

The Associate Research Fellow or Research Fellow in Ecology and Biodiversity is part of Deakin University’s Blue Carbon Lab (BCL), an award-winning, multi-disciplinary research team focused on understanding and responding to the impacts of global change on freshwater, coastal and ocean ecosystems. BCL offers innovative research solutions aiding in mitigating climate change and enhancing our blue economy, while simultaneously supporting aquatic biodiversity, economic growth, capacity building, and community wellbeing.

The role will conduct independent research analysing the management of agricultural dams in Australia to maximise their ecological value (especially for amphibians, birds, and aquatic invertebrates). The project will include fieldwork to visit agricultural dams in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland and will involve deploying modern techniques to monitor and quantify wildlife biodiversity. Additionally, the Research Fellow will research the impacts of non-native ungulates on coastal wetland ecosystems and their biodiversity through a literature review.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Initiating, designing, and conducting high-quality research and creative activities generating high-impact outputs
• Engaging collaboratively to develop novel and high-quality research or creative activities
• Ensuring a high impact of the research activities with the community
• Seeking of funding for research and creative activities
• Building a national reputation, based on a growing body of work recognised for quality, excellence, and impact
• Initiating, designing, conducting, and leading intra- and inter-disciplinary research collaborations, to enable major breakthroughs in knowledge and understanding and solutions to complex problems
• Initiating, designing, conducting, and leading the development of industry partnerships and collaboration to enable major breakthroughs, and innovative solutions for future translation into real-world impact
• Supporting and leading applications for external competitive and other funding, and demonstrating sustained efforts
• Building track records of timely delivery of outcomes for industry partners
• Initiating, designing, conducting, and leading innovation and translation into policies, frameworks, strategy, priority setting and other outcomes to create a positive impact
• Initiating, designing, conducting, and leading innovation and translation into products, services, new ways of operating and other avenues to create a positive impact
• Supporting the attraction of external funding for the commercialization of research activities
• Building a portfolio of policy and strategy influence, generation of products, services or other innovations with positive real-world impact
• Providing effective mentoring to HDR students to support career development and employability
• Establishing/expanding industry network to create opportunities for placements

Key selection criteria for this role:

• PhD in ecology, spatial ecology, marine or freshwater science, spatial ecology, or related discipline.
• Emerging reputation in research through (first author) publications, reports, conference presentations and other academic outputs.
• Familiar with various techniques for wildlife surveys
• Proficient at identifying and monitoring Australian species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and other taxa.
• Demonstrated experience in organising and delivering intensive fieldwork campaigns for biodiversity research.
• Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Only for level B candidates: at least two years of postdoctoral experience in a similar field

Desirable selection criteria

• Proficient with coding languages (e.g., R, Phyton, Java) for data analysis
• Experience using species distribution models
• Experience in analysing ecosystem soundscapes as biodiversity proxies

Applications for this position close on March 12, 2023.

Successful applicants will need to comply with vaccination mandates imposed by the relevant state/territory government. Applicants who attend third-party sites to undertake University activities will also be required to comply with any other directions or requirements in place at the third-party location.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Frequent/Regular/Infrequent travel will be required describe further (e.g., interstate or overseas travel is required or regular travel within Victoria, not including between campuses)
• Drivers Licence 
• Working with Children Check

Please submit your updated resume and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and the desirable selection criteria. Please state in the cover letter which level you are applying for (I.e., level A or B).

For a confidential discussion regarding this position, please contact Dr Martino Malerba, ARC DECRA Fellow, via m.malerba@deakin.edu.au.

Are You Ready?

Deakin is a Victorian university with a global impact. We are an agile, dynamic, and innovative university committed to making a positive impact through our excellence in education, research and innovation and the contributions we make to the wider community.

We understand that our reputation has been built on the dedication and expertise of our staff and we offer a dynamic and diverse working environment with opportunities to grow and develop careers. We believe that a progressive, thriving culture will ensure that people choose to come, and stay at Deakin and contribute to our ongoing success.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences. We support and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all abilities, cultures, sexual orientation, and genders.

We understand that our academic workforce is increasingly diverse, and we recognise academic careers may be placed on hold throughout many life circumstances. Achievement relative to opportunity places more emphasis on the quality, as opposed to the quantity of research outputs. In your application, we strongly encourage you to comment on your achievements relative to opportunity.