Research Projects Officer

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**The Opportunity**:

- **Play a key role in our Managing Invasive Species and Diseases program**:

- **Contribute to the smooth execution of research at CSIRO**:

- **Join team CSIRO - Australia's National Science Agency**

CSIRO's Pest Detection Technologies team is part of the Managing Invasive Species and Diseases program, which focuses on researching and managing national priority pests, weeds, and diseases in agriculture and the environment. We have an exciting opportunity for a Research Projects Officer to join our team, sitting within the broader Health and Biosecurity Business Unit.

As the Research Projects Officer, your primary responsibility will be collaborating with other researchers in scientific and technological activities. Our aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of optical scanning technologies in detecting pest infestations in fresh produce, both in laboratory and commercial packhouse settings. Your role will be involved in detail planning, data collection and analysis of information obtained from optical grading systems used in various packhouses across Australia.

The research conducted in this role will help overcome market barriers caused by pests and diseases in international trade. You'll play a crucial role in experimental and observational work, as well as the development of new technologies.

If you have a keen interest in this field and are looking for an opportunity to help facilitate the smooth execution of research activities at CSIRO, this could be the role for you

**Your duties will include**:

- Collaborating with research staff to plan and execute scientific and technological activities related to pest detection and management.
- Under limited supervision, developing and implementing experimental protocols and methodologies to assess the effectiveness of optical scanning technologies in detecting pest infestations in fresh produce.
- Collecting data from optical grading systems used in various packhouses across Australia and conducting data analysis to evaluate the efficacy of the current grading systems in detecting and rejecting infested fruits.
- Assisting in the development and refinement of data packages and protocols to support proposed systems approaches for pest management in the agricultural industry.
- Contributing to the development and improvement of imaging technologies integrated with AI capabilities for enhanced pest detection in fruits.
- Conducting literature reviews, investigations and inspections in the field or laboratory including associated analysis possibly involving statistical or graphics software.
- Independently testing possible solutions to resolve identified experimental problems.
- Collaborating with industry partners, stakeholders, and external research institutions as required to facilitate research projects and achieve project objectives.
- Other duties as required.

**Location**: Dutton Park, Brisbane (QLD)

**Salary**:AU$68k - AU$86k pa plus up to 15.4% superannuation

**Tenure**:Specified term of 3 years, Full-time

**Reference**:93249

**To be considered you will need**:

- A degree in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Science, biology, agricultural science, or related fields).
- Demonstrated experience in planning and conducting scientific research projects, including experimental design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
- Experience in conducting field trials or working in agricultural settings.
- Ability to effectively collaborate on drafting and presenting presentations, as well as producing detailed written reports for clients, the scientific community, and the technology community.
- Demonstrated ability to identify and resolve technical and practical issues encountered during research projects.
- Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize workloads, and meet project deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, stakeholders, and industry partners. Demonstrated ability and willingness to travel within Australia. And possession of a current driver's license.**Desirable**:

- Familiarity with concepts and approaches related to pest detection, management, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.
- Experience in working with imaging technologies, such as computer vision, machine learning, or AI-based image analysis.
- Demonstrated ability with coding language such as R or Python.

For full details about this role please review th