Principal Research Scientist

Principal Research Scientist - Low Carbon Liquid Fuels

Company: CSIRO

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 .

Role highlights

- Advance Net Zero with sustainable feedstock solutions for low-carbon fuels
- Lead research across the full value chain from biomass to refining
- Collaborate widely to shape policy and grow a multibillion-dollar industry

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Join CSIRO’s Foresighting team and help shape Australia’s Low Carbon Liquid Fuels (LCLF) future. This role focuses on sustainable feedstock supply from agriculture and forestry to support decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, mining, and heavy transport. You’ll collaborate across CSIRO and with external partners to deliver a full value-chain perspective, from feedstock production and logistics to fuel refining and sustainability assessments. Your work will generate insights that enable responsible land, water, and biomass management while driving the development of a multibillion-dollar LCLF industry critical to achieving national Net Zero goals.

Your high-level duties will include:

- Undertake leading-edge scientific research in LCLF and bioresource management, maintaining active national and international collaborations to access and share advanced concepts and technologies.
- Lead the research component of projects, contribute original ideas, and determine strategies that align with organisational and industry goals.
- Identify emerging industry and community needs, conceive new project ideas, and actively engage funding bodies to secure financial support.
- Provide scientific leadership to colleagues and students, manage resources effectively, and foster multidisciplinary collaboration across multiple projects.
- Build strong relationships with industry and government clients, anticipate their needs, and generate innovative solutions that create value.
- Advise policymakers and communicate complex research outcomes to both scientific and non-scientific audiences, ensuring impact beyond academia.
- Work with business managers to assess commercial opportunities and safeguard intellectual property arising from research activities.
- Anticipate shifts in research and development, inform strategic planning, and implement changes that position the organisation at the forefront of innovation.

Location: Brisbane QLD, Melbourne VIC or Canberra ACT

Salary: AU$163k - AU$180k per annum (pro-rata for part-time) + 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified term of 5 years, Full-time

Reference: 101330

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

- A PhD (or an equivalent combination of qualifications and research experience) in a relevant field such as Environmental or Chemical Science or Engineering, Agricultural Science or Engineering, Agricultural Economics or similar.
- Strong domain knowledge of the role of agriculture in Australia’s energy transition and pathways to developing an LCLF industry, including the policy landscape, international frameworks and markets, promising opportunities, and constraints/barriers to enacting possible pathways.
- Demonstrated ability to undertake original, creative and innovative research in the field of bioenergy or biofuel production, bioresource assessment and management, agricultural systems analysis and/or integrated sustainability assessment by generating and pursuing novel ideas and solutions to scientific research problems.
- Demonstrated track record of securing funding from a range of government and industry sources for research projects in the field of bioenergy/biofuel development.
- Strong inter-personal and collaboration skills. Existing network of industry, government and/or academic colleagues in related fields and demonstrated ability to rapidly establish and expand professional networks.
- A demonstrated publication history of authorship on scientific papers in peer reviewed journals and/or reports, grant applications or inventorship on patent applications in the fields of bioenergy or biofuel production, bioresource assessment and management, agricultural systems analysis and/or integrated sustainability assessment.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary and regionally dispersed teams including guiding strategic direction, developing junior staff, managing budget and staffing resources and enabling project delivery.

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact Laura Mason via Careers.Online@csiro.au and let us know how we can support you.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and candidates who either hold, or are able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term (visa sponsorship and relocation assistance may be provided to the successful candidate if required). Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy .

How to apply

Please apply online and submit a CV and cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the selection criteria of this role.

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