Research Assistant

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

• Part-time opportunity to support animal care in biosecure research facilities
• Contribute to vital biodiversity research through hands-on rabbit and rodent husbandry.
• Ideal for reliable, detail-oriented individuals with availability on weekends and public holidays.

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.

Visit for more information.

The opportunity

Join CSIRO's Genetic Biocontrol Team at Black Mountain and contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at protecting Australia's biodiversity. In this part-time role, you'll support the care and husbandry of rabbits and rodents in secure research facilities. Your work will directly support innovative projects focused on managing invasive mammal populations.

This role requires availability for regular morning shifts on at least one weekend day, 1–2 weekday shifts, and some public holidays—ideal for individuals with a commitment to reliable attendance and who seek meaningful part-time work in a scientific setting.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Performing routine care and husbandry of rabbits and rodents in biosecure (PC2) facilities, following the Australian Code for animal use in research.
• Adhering to all facility regulations related to biosecurity, workplace safety, and laboratory animal care.
• Working autonomously with strong self-motivation and attention to detail.
• Communicating clearly and promptly with other team members to support collaborative research efforts.
• Assisting with animal monitoring and sample collection, ensuring accurate identification and storage of samples.

Role particulars

Location and office arrangements: Canberra (Black Mountain), ACT

Salary: AU$59,071 - AU$71,010 per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified Term of 3 years and 9 months; Part-time: 16-24 hours per fortnight (to be negotiated), consisting of 1-2 shifts during the week (approx. 4 hours each, and at least 1 weekend shift (approx. 3 hours).

Reference: 101157

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• A Certificate of high school education.
• Relevant formal qualification/s in Animal Care and/or 1+ year of equivalent relevant work experience providing animal husbandry (e.g., in research, commercial, or veterinary settings).
• Demonstrated evidence of good communication skills and ability to coordinate closely working within a team.
• Demonstrated evidence of good attention to detail, exceptional organisational and time-management skills, and record keeping ability
• A valid driver's licence.

An additional requirement of this role is that you must not own or come into frequent close contact with pet or wild rabbits or rodents.

Applications that demonstrate previous experience providing animal care in a research setting, working in PC2 (or higher) facilities, and flexibility to work up to four hours on both Saturday and Sunday mornings will also be viewed favourably.

For full details about this role, and other criteria, please review the Position Description.

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

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 Cristina O'Brien via email at and let us know how we can support you.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

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.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian and New Zealand Citizens, and Australian Permanent Residents who are currently residing in Australia; and Australian temporary residents who hold a working visa that is valid for the duration of the specified term.

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, as ONE DOCUMENT, your CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that explicitly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria as listed in the position description.

Applications close

Wednesday 29th October, 2025, 11:00pm AEST

Please note: Early applications are strongly encouraged, as CSIRO reserves the right to close this advertisement once a suitable candidate has been identified. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to ensure you don't miss out on this opportunity.