Indigenous Time at Sea Studentships

**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.

**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.

**Unique opportunity to gain experience on board CSIRO’s world-class marine research vessel, the RV**_Investigator_****
- **Are you studying STEM and interested in joining a research voyage to better understand Australia’s vast marine estate?**:

- **Do you want to gain valuable, real-world at sea research experience?**:
**The opportunities we are offering**

The Indigenous Time at Sea Studentship (ITSS) offers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students the opportunity to join voyages on Research Vessel _Investigator_.

CSIRO has opportunities for university students to undertake a placement under the ITSS program during a research voyage on board _Investigator_ in 2025. Students will join a world class research team and be able to gain experience on an ocean research vessel to facilitate skill development and networking, while gaining exposure to methods and techniques applicable to careers in marine science and the maritime industry.

Students will receive a stipend during their placement and most costs associated with participating in the voyage, including travel, accommodation, medical assessment, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be covered by CSIRO.

All ITSS students will receive support while onboard and be assigned a “buddy” while at sea. ITSS students will also be supported by a shore-based program coordinator.

Information about the program can be found at ITSS program page

**Location**: RV _Investigator_, voyage Hobart, TAS

**Scholarship**: Up to AU$1,988.70 per fortnight

**Duration**: approx. 8 weeks with 5 weeks on the voyage

**Reference**: 96773

**Voyage Details**

**_Voyage 1 Details_**:
**IN2025_V04 - Untangling the causes of change over 25 years in the southeast marine ecosystem.**

27May - 28June 2025, nipaluna/Hobart to nipaluna/Hobart. The voyage will travel through Sea Country between southern Tasmania and New South Wales.
- How and why have fish assemblages and species abundances changed in the southeast ecosystem, and can the causes be mitigated?
- How does this affect the multiple-use management of the region, particularly conservation and biodiversity management of Australian Marine Parks and the hive of activity from fisheries, oil & gas, and renewable energy sectors?
- What are the implications for marine spatial planning and adaptive management in the sectors that use the marine ecosystem?

**Learning Tasks will include**:

- Under the guidance of CSIRO and other voyage staff work with scientists and technicians to assist with research objectives and contribute to the national collaborative marine research effort.
- Under close supervision, undertake a combination of basic tasks following specific instructions and/or well-established procedures.
- Gain valuable ‘real-world’, at-sea research experience.
- Communicate openly, effectively and respectfully with all staff, clients and suppliers in the interests of good business practice, collaboration and enhancement of CSIRO’s reputation.
- Work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team to carry out tasks in support of scientific objectives.
- Adhere to the spirit and practice of CSIRO’s Values, Code of Conduct, Health, Safety and Environment procedures and policy and diversity initiatives.
- Under supervision, identify, sort, measure, and dissect a range of marine biota including fish.
- Bird observations and data entry

**_Voyage 2 Details_**:
**IN2025_V06 - The Coral Sea frontier: Deep-sea biodiversity assessment of the Coral Sea Marine Park.**

11 October - 14 November 2025, Meeanjin/Brisbane to Meeanjin/Brisbane.

This project will investigate benthic marine life in the southern and eastern Coral Sea Marine Park, focussing on the Marion Plateau, the Tasmantid Seamount Chain (200-3600 m) and Kenn Plateau. This will be the first modern deep-water investigation of marine life found on the extinct volcanic peaks of the northern Tasmantid Seamount Chain which rise over 3000 m from the seabed and the offshore Kenn Plateau. This project will aim to answer three broad questions:

- Does benthic faunal biodiversity vary across the different bioregions, key ecological features and management zones of the southern and eastern CSMP?
- Do the seamounts and atolls of the Tasmantid Seamount Chain support a greater number of locally endemic species than the continental and offshore plateaus?
- Is the benthic faunal biodiversity of the CSMP more diverse and unique compared to other Australian continental slope bioregions?
- Do non-extractive sampling methods, e.g. eDNA