Research Fellow

Classification: Academic Level C
Salary package: $ 132,275 - $ 147,019 per annum plus 17% superannuation
Terms: Full time, Fixed term (up to 2 years)

Take leadership of activities in integration and implementation of technologies for the rapid detection and suppression of bushfires, using your skills in autonomous systems, networked data processing, and computer vision. Undertake collaborative and cross-disciplinary research, leading a consortium of academics and external partners.

Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence
The Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence (BRCoE) is a research centre jointly funded by ANU and Optus, with the vision of a paradigm change in bushfire management where early ignitions are accurately and reliably detected and suppressed before they become catastrophic and uncontrollable. The Centre fosters and evaluates research an innovation for a range of technologies to drive Australian resilience against catastrophic bushfires.  The BRCoE is located in both Fenner School of Environment and Society and the School of Engineering. The position will be located in the School of Engineering.

About the College
The ANU by 2025 Strategic Plan calls for the University to serve society through transformational research and education. As one of the great universities of the world, ANU is driven by a culture of excellence in everything we do. Our lived experience is increasingly one of large-scale systems of people, whose actions and interactions are influenced by our digital, physical and biological environment. The ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics (CECC) hosts three of the key disciplines necessary to help us design, build, regulate and secure the future. 

CECC brings together expertise in social, technical, computational, ecological and scientific systems to build a new approach to systems design and build new national capabilities in data-driven policy and business development. The work we do in the College directly supports one of the four pillars of ANU by 2025: to strengthen our national mission and meet our unique responsibilities as Australia’s national university. We will deliver on our mission by building a strong community, providing transformative educational experiences, conducting high-impact research, seeking meaningful engagement, and becoming a resilient organisation post COVID-19. 

We welcome and openly acknowledge differences in expertise, research / education / professional focus, experience and perspective.

CECC is a vibrant and diverse community of more than three thousand students, staff, and visitors. Our College comprises three schools: the School of Computing, School of Cybernetics, and School of Engineering, supported by the Professional Services Group.

The School of Engineering brings together a diverse and welcoming community that is motivated to seek “wicked problems”. We connect divergent thinkers, to explore and pose solutions, that cross the traditional interdisciplinary and global boundaries. We have evolved from our foundational strength in systems thinking, reaching beyond traditional engineering fields. This systems approach embraces our core strengths and is shaped around four focus areas: Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechatronics. Join us in our fundamental quest of discovery and passionate pursuit of knowledge that goes beyond our lived world.

About the opportunity
This position is a fixed term for a period of up to 2 years appointment to contribute to the Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence activities in integration and implementation of technology demonstrators.  The position will report to Professor Robert Mahony and will have a leading role in the scout drones project, developing and demonstrating technology for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight capability and developing algorithms for guidance and data fusion for visual bushfire ignition validation and situational awareness in deep bushland.  The position will also play a key role in integrating ground-based visual fire detection technology and Internet of Things (IoT) ground sensors for early detection of bushfires.  The Centre is also leading a consortium in the XPRIZE Autonomous Wildfire Response competition and this role will play a leadership role in coordinating partners and integrating technologies for the Centre demonstrators.

Applications are particularly invited from researchers who undertake high impact collaborative and cross-disciplinary research, and whose expertise contribute to the activity Centre, School, and College.

Longer term and/or ongoing appointment may be offered in exceptional cases subject to performance and budget availability as well the candidate’s demonstrated capability and desire to complement the College’s strategic agendas in teaching, research and broader engagement within the University and community.

To enquire about this role, please contact Professor Robert Mahony, Deputy Director Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence, T: +61 2 6125 8613, E: [email protected] .

Our commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity

ANU is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, and particularly welcomes applications from women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, it is practice in the ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics to actively seek a gender mix of shortlisted candidates for interview. For more information about staff equity at ANU, visit https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion   

We welcome and develop diversity of backgrounds, experiences and ideas and encourage applications from individuals who may have had non-traditional career paths, who may have taken a career break, had career disruptions or who have achieved excellence in careers outside of the higher education sector. We support applicants who require flexible arrangements in their work environments or patterns. If your experience looks a little different to what we’ve described, but you’re passionate and motivated by this position, we welcome your enquiry and application. 

What we offer
The ANU provides attractive benefits and excellent support to maintain a healthy work/life balance and offers generous remuneration benefits, including four weeks paid vacation per year, assistance with relocation expenses and 17% employer contribution to superannuation. We also offer generous parental leave, the possibility of flexible and part time working arrangements, a parental and aged care support program, dual career hire programs, staff and family tuition fee discounts, ANU school holiday programs, and childcare facilities on campus. For more information, visit: https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources  

How to apply
Applicants must apply online via the ANU recruitment portal and should upload the following separate documents: 

• A maximum 3 - page statement addressing the selection criteria. 
• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) including a full publication list and the names and contact details of at least three referees (preferably including a current or previous supervisor). If your CV does not include referees, you can complete these online when prompted in the application form. 
• (Optional for applicants) achievement relative to opportunity statement where appropriate
• Other documents, if required. 

Applications which do not address the selection criteria may not be considered for the position.

Please note: The successful candidate must have rights to live and work in this country and will be required to undergo a background check during the recruitment process. An offer of employment is conditional on satisfactory results.