Research Scientist - Soil and Landscape Modelling - [Archived Advertisement]

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

• Combine your soil science/agricultural research knowledge and modelling skills
• Work with a dynamic, multidisciplinary research team
• Join CSIRO – Australia’s National Science and Innovation Agency!

CSIRO Agriculture and Food has a great long-term opportunity for a skilled Research Scientist to join their Soil and Landscapes Group.

As a Research Scientist, you will bring your understanding and knowledge of various soil processes and functions to support Australia’s modern agriculture and delivery of a set of diverse of ecosystem services. You will also play a lead role in developing the understanding of Australia’s needs for well managed accessible soil data, standards and information tools. You will undertake case assessments, develop modelling approaches and applications for farmers and other land managers, and develop the modelling frameworks which sit behind national carbon sequestration, natural capital accounting and other soil related assessments.

This will be a great opportunity to work collaboratively with a team of reputed soil scientists and grow your research career!

Your duties will include:

• Designing and undertaking national, regional and farm scale assessments as a key member of the CSIRO soil information team to demonstrate the use and value of the Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS) to multiple users.
• Investigating and documenting soil data and information use cases and value propositions for future ANSIS development and funding consideration.
• Developing and applying innovative approaches to combine process-based soil understanding and spatial-temporal modelling techniques for improved prediction of functional soil properties relevant to soil state and trend assessment.
• Actively contributing to the ongoing development of the ANSIS and related soil databases, data collation and harmonisation processes, assessment of soil data needs and use.
• Producing high quality research reports and scientific papers suitable for publication in high impact international journals and conferences.
• Working effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary research team, undertaking independent scientific investigations and carrying out associated tasks under the guidance of Senior Research Scientists and in collaboration with external stakeholders.

Location: Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Perth preferred.
Salary: AU$102K to AU$111K pa + up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified Term of 4 years
Reference: 79368

To be considered you will need:

• A PhD or equivalent combination of qualification and demonstrated extensive research experience in soil science, agricultural science, spatial and temporal modelling of soil attributes or similar fields of science.
• An understanding of soil processes and functions and the impacts of land management practices on soil state and trends and their delivery of ecosystem services across different landscapes and land uses.
• Ability to conduct national and regional assessments including spatial and temporal modelling of soil process and functional attributes using diverse data of variable quality from multiple sources.
• Experience and skills in programming including (but not limited to) R, Python including data manipulation (FAIR principles), model development using statistical and machine learning algorithms, and ability to use high-performance computer (HPC) facilities for the prediction of soil properties, processes, and functions.
• Ability to publish research results, prepare reports and present findings at stakeholder meetings and national and international conferences, evidenced by a solid record of publication in top-tier journals and conference proceedings.

Desirable:

• Experience in field-based soil investigations and having a well-grounded national perspective on pedology and the spatial distribution of soil types, attributes, and function across Australian landscapes.
• A record of science innovation and creativity plus the ability and willingness to incorporate novel ideas and approaches into scientific investigations

For full details about this role please review the Position Description

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must be currently residing in Australia as an:

• Australian or New Zealand Citizen;
• Australian Permanent Resident; or
• Australian Temporary Resident, with a valid working visa to cover the length of the term (at least until end of 2026), without the requirement of sponsorship from CSIRO.

The successful applicant will be required to obtain and provide a National Police Check or equivalent, and may be subject to other security/medical/character check 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

19 December 2021, 11:00pm AEDT