Sustainable Minerals Institute / Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining Part-time (60%), fixed-term position through to December 2025 Base salary will be in the range $82,057.75 - $109,246.18 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A) Based at our St Lucia Campus About This Opportunity This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate and driven Postdoctoral Research Fellow or Research Officer to join a cutting-edge research initiative focused on developing innovative, nature-based solutions for treating alkaline mine wastes.
Using an integrated approach of extremophiles-plants, this role offers the chance to contribute to transformative environmental outcomes in the mining industry.
You'll be part of the Ecological Engineering in Mining group—an industry-leading team within the newly established Centre for Environmental Responsibility in Mining .
Our mission is to pioneer sustainable technologies and deliver actionable knowledge that supports the rehabilitation of mine wastes and severely degraded soils.
With a portfolio of large-scale, industry-partnered projects, we're at the forefront of engineering resilient soil-plant systems that redefine sustainability at mine sites.
Key responsibilities will include: Research: Lead the design and implementation of core research activities on microbial and plant remediation of mine wastes, to achieve project milestones.
Develop and refine methods and techniques to optimise bioreactor conditions critical to the project's technical objectives.
Establish a research program, collaborate on research projects, seek and manage research funding, publish in reputable journals, utilize best practice research methodologies, and participate in project discussions.
Supervision and Researcher Development: Supervise students, recruit and manage employees, provide performance feedback and training, resolve conflicts, and ensure correct remuneration and benefits.
Citizenship and Service: Develop partnerships, demonstrate leadership through mentoring, engage in internal service roles and committees, perform administrative functions, provide support to colleagues, and uphold university values.
This is a research focused position.
Further information can be found by viewing UQ's Criteria for Academic Performance.
About UQ As part of the UQ community, you will 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.
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, flexible working arrangements including hybrid on site/WFH options and flexible start/finish times, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.
About You Completion or near completion of a Ph D in soil science, specialised in mineralogy, soil biology, and/or soil organic chemistry with relevance to microbial mediated mineral transformation An emerging profile in research in the discipline area.
Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences.
Evidence of contributions towards successfully obtaining external research funding.
Some experience in meaningful internal service roles and contributions towards external activities Demonstrated expert knowledge and skills in an aspect of microscopic and spectroscopic analysis of organo-mineral forms in soil/plant/environmental samples, such as SEM-EDS and/or synchrotron-based X-ray absorption analysis of soil, organics and mineral samples.
Demonstrated knowledge about soil organic carbon and organic matter cycles and turnover.
Demonstrated skills of soil chemical analysis and microspectral and microstructural analysis of mineral and/or organic phases in soil and processing complex data derived from spectral analysis, such as synchrotron-based X-ray absorption data.
The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia, education check.
You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply.
Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.
Questions? For more information about this opportunity, please.
Other Information UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory.
Candidates who don't meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential.
The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.
Applications close Tuesday 2 September 2025 at 11.00pm AEST (R-54936).
Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for the week commencing Monday 8 September.
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