Postdoctoral Fellow / Research Fellow - Flotation Chemistry

• Sustainable Minerals Institute

• Join a university ranked in the world’s top 50

• Collaborate with highly awarded, world-class colleagues  

• Fast track your career with our early career academic development program 

• Based at St Lucia campus

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, and within an environment where interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.

At the core of our teaching remains our students, and their experience with us sets a foundation for success far beyond graduation. UQ has made a commitment to making education opportunities available for all Queenslanders, regardless of personal, financial, or geographical barriers.

As part of our commitment to excellence in research and professional practice in academic contexts, we are proud to provide our staff with access to world-class facilities and equipment, grant writing support, greater research funding opportunities, and other forms of staff support and development.

About This Opportunity 

We are looking for an enthusiastic and energetic new member of our Flotation Chemistry Research group. The successful candidate will be able to focus on developing their expertise and emerging research profile within this important discipline. This role will focus on undertaking high-quality research in mineral flotation, flotation chemistry and mineral surface science, with a specific emphasis on processing critical minerals.

The position if offered at the level of a Postdoctoral Fellow (Level A), or a Research Fellow (Level B) in mineral flotation. The candidate will be exposed to a wide range of mineral processing research areas, such as coarse and fine particle processing, mineral surface analytical techniques, mineral liberation analysis, novel reagent addition techniques and base metal sulphide electrochemistry.

It is expected that the incumbent will contribute to service and engagement roles and activities within the Research Centre.

Key responsibilities include:  

Research

Academic Level A

• Conducting laboratory experiments and data analysis in mineral flotation testing

• Assist in conducting industrial surveys and subsequent data analysis

• Assist with the performance and data processing of mineral surface analysis and mineral liberation tests.

• Assist with project management

• Produce quality research outputs consistent with discipline norms by publishing or exhibiting in high-quality outlets.

• Work with colleagues in the development of joint research projects and applications for competitive research funding support.

• Contribute to progressing towards transfer of knowledge, technology and practices to research end users through translation, including commercialisation of UQ intellectual property.

• Develop a coherent research program and an emerging research profile.

• Review and draw upon best practice research methodologies.

Academic Level B (in addition to Level A Research Responsibilities

• Develop and design key aspects of research activities within large industry-funded projects

• Plan and conduct work at external sites, including at remote mine locations

• Participate in applications for competitive research funding to support projects and activities.

Supervision and Researcher Development

Academic Level A

• Contribute to the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students (as appropriate).

• As appropriate, management of research support staff

• Work to promptly resolve conflict and grievances when they arise in accordance with University policy and procedures.

Academic Level B (in addition to Level A Research Responsibilities

• Demonstrate personal effectiveness in supervision and the management of researcher development.

• Effective leadership and development of supervisee performance and conduct by providing feedback, coaching, and professional development.

Citizenship and Service

Academic Level A

• Demonstrate citizenship behaviours that align to the UQ values.

• Show leadership of self through collaboration and active participation in priority activities for the unit

• Provide support to other academic positions and unit operations as needed during other team members absences.

• Collaborate in service activities external to the immediate organisation unit.

Academic Level B (in addition to Level A Research Responsibilities)

• Contribute to internal service roles and administrative processes as required, including participation in decision-making and service on relevant committees.

• Begin to develop external links and partnerships by cultivating relationships with industry, government departments, professional bodies and the wider community.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance .

This is a full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months.

At academic level A the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $74,308.68 - $99,426.59, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $86,941.16 - $116,329.11 annually. 

At academic level B the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $104,579.67 - $124,187.99, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $122,358.21 - $145,299.95 annually.

As this role is covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive regular remuneration increases – at least once a year.

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad:  from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

About You  

• PhD (or significant progress towards PhD) in a relevant discipline such as mineral processing. Candidates with direct experience of flotation chemistry will be strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to develop research initiative and to conduct innovative research in the field of mineral processing and mineral flotation

• Experience working in a metallurgical laboratory, with particular emphasis on batch flotation testing and analysis

• Demonstrated time management skills and the ability to work across multiple projects with multidisciplinary teams

• Ability to analyse complex experimental data by using statistical packages

• An emerging profile in research in the discipline area.

• Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences.

• Some experience in meaningful internal service roles and contributions towards external activities

• Performing and analysing surface analysis techniques, such as ToF-SIMS and X-Ray tomography

• Analysis of mineral liberation data obtained via MLA or QEMSCAN

• Electrochemically controlled flotation techniques

• Practical experience in industrial minerals processing or related operations

Level B incumbent criteria (in addition to Level A)

• Evidence of contributions towards successfully obtaining external research funding.

• A growing record of supervision of Honours and Research Higher Degree students to successful completion

• Demonstrated experience conducting onsite surveys and sample collection in industrial mineral processing plants

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 

• Background Checks: All final applicants for this position may be asked to consent to a criminal record check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically barred from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits. 

Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Associate Professor Liza Forbes [email protected]  

For application queries, please contact [email protected] stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Resume

• Cover letter

• Responses to the ‘About You’ section

Other Information 

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion .  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity , LGBTQIA+ , cultural and/or linguistic , Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples , or people with a disability . Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to [email protected]  

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close Tuesday 2 January 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (R-32298).