Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Ecology

Classification: Academic Level B
Salary package: $110,162 - $124,903 per annum, plus 17% superannuation
Term: Full time, Continuing (Contingent Funding) for 2 years

The Position

Located in the Fenner School of Environment and Society (FSES), Sustainable Farms has built an interdisciplinary research program connected with long-term monitoring of biodiversity on farms in the temperate woodlands of Eastern Australia. The findings from the interdisciplinary research are demonstrating the important role that biodiversity plays in supporting ecosystem services and farm productivity. The long-term biodiversity monitoring undertaken by the ANU over more than 20 years, has provided a unique insight into trends in farmland biodiversity and how to better manage for improved biodiversity outcomes.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ecology will work within the Sustainable Farms Initiative focusing on key knowledge gaps associated with the calibration and scalability of innovative, robust, and cost-effective biodiversity monitoring methods. The work has the aim of developing scientifically robust yet cost-effective monitoring methods. The applicant will help to build new datasets using novel field-based survey methods, including multi-spectral drone imagery, passive acoustic recorders, and eDNA. They will use these data, alongside existing field-based methods to compare, contrast, and calibrate different data streams. The research will focus primarily on temperate woodlands in eastern Australia, as well as on the wet forests of Victoria and coastal forests, woodlands, and heathlands of the Jervis Bay Territory. As such, this work will build on the large-scale, long-term studies established by Professor David Lindenmayer across these ecosystems. The research will focus on vegetation condition, birds, and amphibians, with opportunities to research other taxa relevant to the project objectives.

The Research Fellow tasks will include:

• Systematically review current methods for monitoring biodiversity and the statistical approaches used for calibration between different methods.
• Conduct field- and desktop-based research using new and existing monitoring methods.
• Identify indicators and metrics appropriate for benchmarking biodiversity and quantifying biodiversity responses to restoration and land management intervention, with potential application in biodiversity trading markets.
• Evaluate the synergies between different methodological approaches currently used for monitoring biodiversity in temperate woodlands and identify methods for harmonising existing data sets.
• Collaborate and connect with external researchers and other ANU researchers working on interdisciplinary research supported by the Sustainable Farms Initiative and other research areas as required.
• Liaise with, and contribute to, outputs for policy makers in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) engaged in the establishment of reference benchmarks, restoration pathways from modified ecosystem states, and key indicators for monitoring biodiversity over time.

The Person

The successful applicant will report directly to Dr Maldwyn John Evans and is expected to work collegially, leading by example to develop and maintain effective, productive, and beneficial workplace relationships within the academic and professional School and College staff, students, and honorary appointees, as well as with industry stakeholders. This position may also have a supervising role for students and will engage in collegial and productive collaborations with local, national, and where possible, international colleagues.

The School

The Fenner School of Environment & Society (FSES) operates in contexts from local to global, undertaking transdisciplinary teaching and research to address issues of environmental sustainability. FSES is a world-leading centre for cross-disciplinary environmental and sustainability research, education and policy-relevant advice. Through cutting-edge research and insightful analysis, our academic experts create social economic and environmental impact and deliver real-world solutions to address complex environmental challenges. Our researchers deliver an education program that is inclusive of the diversity of undergraduate, postgraduate and research students who want to learn about environmental sustainability and make an ongoing impact for the benefit of all.

The College

The ANU College of Science  encompasses the disciplines of: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Environment and Society, Mathematics, Physics, and Science Communication and is also home to a number of cross-disciplinary and specialist Institutes and Centres.  Staff and students within the ANU College of Science conduct research and deliver a research-led education program that encompasses the breadth of the sciences, supported by extensive international networks and by world-class facilities. 

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For further information please contact, Maldwyn Evans, T: +61 2 6125 9926, E: [email protected] .

ANU values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to people of all backgrounds and identities. For more information about staff equity at ANU, click here . For enquiries about the application process, or if you require reasonable adjustment to apply for this role, please contact the hiring manager on the above listed details.

Application information

In order to apply for this role please make sure that you upload the following documents:

• A statement addressing the selection criteria.
• A current curriculum vitae (CV) which includes 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.
• 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.

Closing at: Mar 8 2024 at 23:55 AEDT