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Form of work
Salary5 x full time positions ranging from 3-5 years fixed term. Located on the Camperdown Campus of the University of Sydney, in the School of Geosciences
Exciting opportunity to help establish the new “Thriving Oceans Research Hub” as part of Professor Josh Cinner’s multi-million dollar Laureate Fellowship funded by the Australian Research Council
Base Salary A/B, $101,507 - $140,586 + 17% superannuation
About the opportunity
is currently seeking five Postdoctoral Research Associates / Research Fellows in Sustainability Science with experience in 1) Quantitative Social Science; 2) Data Science/Statistics; 3) Behavioural Science (experimental games); 4) Fisheries Science/Marine Ecology; and 5) Social-Ecological Systems. The Postdoctoral Research Associates/Research Fellows will work with Professor Joshua Cinner to establish the new Thriving Oceans Research Hub, which is focused on delivering solutions-oriented research that increases the sustainability and resilience of our oceans and supports the people who depend on them. The Thriving Oceans team will consist of Professor Cinner, 5 postdoctoral researchers, 6 post-graduate students, a project officer, and research assistants and will conduct and publish interdisciplinary research (ranging from global scale modelling to extensive overseas fieldwork), build a consortium of researchers and practitioners from across the globe, host a series of workshops, and develop decision-support tools.
These positions will directly support Professor Cinner’s ARC Laureate Fellowship project “Increasing the sustainability and resilience of coral reef fisheries” . Specifically, the project will: (1) Conduct a global-scale assessment of coral reef fisheries sustainability and resilience; (2) Locate exceptionally resilient reefs (exceptional responders) by identifying extreme deviations from a global-scale model that quantifies how the resilience of coral reef fisheries are affected by key social, ecological, and environmental drivers of change over time; (3) Use targeted field-based research across up to 15 study sites to investigate exceptional reefs responders and their enabling conditions, revealing novel solutions that are transferrable to policy.
Your key responsibilities will be to:
Undertake research in support of Professor Cinner’s ARC Laureate Fellowship project “Increasing the sustainability and resilience of coral reef fisheries”.
Design and deliver high-quality research in a timely fashion to meet strict deadlines in a team environment
Publish research in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals in collaboration with Professor Cinner and others
Collaborate with a large team of colleagues working in an interdisciplinary research environment
Where appropriate, supervise the research activities of postgraduate students
Participate in and help organise/run interdisciplinary workshops domestically and possibly overseas
Some positions will require you to schedule, oversee, and conduct field trips domestically and overseas.
About you
The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for Postdoctoral Research Associates / Research Fellows in Sustainability Science who best meet the selection criteria under one of the five themes:
1) Quantitative Social Science;
Essential Selection Criteria
a PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., geography, sociology, economics, social psychology)
demonstrated experience in conducting rigorous quantitative social science research
strong knowledge of foundational social science theories and approaches
strong quantitative skills, including proficiency in R, python, or similar software
evidence of outstanding research ability including a strong publication record for stage of career.
Desirable Selection Criteria
experience in planning and coordinating field research
experience working in remote locations
experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
2) Data Science/Statistics;
Essential Selection Criteria
a PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., data science, statistics)
experience managing/analysing complex datasets
ability to support and mentor other team members in data science/statistics
strong quantitative skills, including proficiency in R, python, or similar software
evidence of outstanding research ability including a strong publication record for stage of career.
Desirable Selection Criteria
familiarity with Bayesian statistical approaches (or willingness to learn)
experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
3) Behavioural Science (experimental games);
Essential Selection Criteria
a PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., behavioural economics, psychology)
demonstrated experience in conducting experimental games research, preferably in a field-based setting
strong quantitative skills, including proficiency in R, python, or similar software
evidence of outstanding research ability including a strong publication record for stage of career.
Desirable Selection Criteria
experience in planning and coordinating field research
experience working in remote locations
experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
4) Fisheries Science/Marine Ecology;
Essential Selection Criteria
a PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., fisheries science, marine ecology)
strong quantitative skills, including proficiency in R, python, or similar software
evidence of outstanding research ability including a strong publication record for stage of career.
Desirable Selection Criteria
Ability to calculate key fisheries reference points (unfished biomass, multispecies maximum sustainable yield) and experience with key fisheries surplus production models
Experience working on coral reef fish or fisheries
Experience working with large datasets
experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
5) Social-Ecological Systems.
Essential Selection Criteria
a PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., data science, statistics, geography, sociology, anthropology, behavioural economics, psychology, fisheries science, marine ecology)
demonstrated experience linking social science and ecology
evidence of outstanding research ability including a strong publication record for stage of career.
Desirable Selection Criteria
experience in planning and coordinating field research
experience in working in remote locations
experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
The commencement level for these positions will be determined based on the candidate’s skills, experience and knowledge.
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Pre-employment checks
Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.
EEO statement
At the University of Sydney, our shared values include and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community which reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this commitment through our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of , , , , and those who identify as . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
How to apply
Applications can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page, and must include 1) a cover letter indicating which theme(s) you’d like to apply for, 2) CV (please separate published papers from those in review/preparation), and 3) a concise response to each of the selection criteria (if you want to apply for multiple themes, just include the different selection criteria- no need to submit separate applications).
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For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Simon Drew, Recruitment Operations by email at
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Applications Close Sunday 10 March 2024 11:59 PM
