Associate Research Fellow

**Job no**: 528629

**Work type**: Full-time

**Location**: Geelong - Waurn Ponds

**Categories**: Engineering
- Based at our Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
- Full-time and fixed term for 18 months
- Level A $74,024 - $99,512 (effective 27 August) + 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 Cloud 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.

You will initiate and conduct research in the areas of water, groundwater, and geo-sequestration of carbon. Research in this water-energy-waste nexus with storage of carbon in soils and deep underground will develop and deploy a multi-disciplinary approach at an exciting time of accelerating transitions a low carbon and circular economy.

The primary focus of the research will be 1) environmental performance of deep-well injection monitoring soil gases and groundwater quality. A secondary research focus will be either 2) enhancing soil carbon storage and design of biomaterials (e.g. biochar) for agriculture and industry or 3) innovative in-situ pore pressure techniques and tracing of hydraulic separation of fresh aquifers from subsurface projects such as carbon sequestration. The selection of the secondary research focus will depend on the expertise of the successful applicant and industry partners.

Site specific research projects will also be developed in partnership with government and industry for optimal use of underground pore space for projects listed above that could achieve the goals of minimising impacts on fresh waters and aquifers, minimise greenhouse gas emissions and improve cost-effectiveness of environmental monitoring for transition to a net-zero carbon and circular economy. In this role will be involved in active and ongoing fieldwork.

You will contribute to the research output of the School of Engineering for multi-disciplinary work between Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, and integration with other disciplines associated with the water-energy-waste nexus.

Your key responsibilities will include:

- Conducting high-quality research, scholarship and creative activities generating high impact outputs, with mentorship
- Engaging collaboratively to participate in novel and high-quality research in areas of water, groundwater, and geo-sequestration of carbon
- Conducting research individually, as part of research teams within the university, and in collaboration with external research partners
- Communicating outputs, including as part of team
- Ensuring impact of academic activity on the field and the community
- Beginning building body of work and reputation and recognition for quality, excellence and impact
- Participating in intra
- and inter-disciplinary research collaborations
- Building awareness of industry partners and participates in opportunities for research partnerships
- Beginning to build track record of timely delivery of outcomes for industry partners
- Co-supervising research students to timely outcomes with productive high-quality outcomes

Key selection criteria for this role:

- PhD in a relevant discipline such as Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Engineering Geology, Soil Science, Hydrogeology, Physics, Maths, Chemistry, or related technical disciplines. or other relevant experience equivalent and qualification
- Emerging research and scholarship through publications, and/or exhibitions as appropriate to the discipline
- Capacity to contribute to teaching, research, administration and field work
- Ability to make a contribution to community engagement and liaise with multi-disciplinary professionals in government agencies and industry, and across a range of engineering and technical disciplines.
- Experience with a range of environmental monitoring and site investigation practices for example: water, groundwater, soil carbon, soil gases, carbon sequestration technologies.
- Experience in either laboratory analysis of environmental samples or numerical modelling and coding

**Applications for this position close on 18**th** September**
- 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**
- Regular travel will be required (e.g regular travel to project sites and farms within Victoria, and occasional interstate and overseas travel for conference events)
- Drivers Licence - valid to drive motor vehicles in Victoria

**Please submit your resume, a short cover letter and r