Job Description

• Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

• Join a multi-disciplinary team developing high throughput functional root phenotyping tools

• Collaborate with researchers & commercial partners in wheat, sorghum development

• Based at Gatton Campus

Acknowledgement of Country

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ operates. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. We recognise their valuable contributions to Australian and global society.

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 JOB IS FROM: postdocjobs.oneVIEWcommitment 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 

This position is industry funded and aligned to a collaboration between UQ-QAAFI’s Centre for Crop Sciences, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and the Liebniz Institute for Crop Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Germany.

The project aims to overcome the field phenotyping bottleneck for impactful root traits that limits the capacity of breeders and agronomists to achieve step gains in crop productivity, by selecting genotypes and precision agronomic interventions that increase drought tolerance in wheat and sorghum. A key focus is to develop functional high-throughput in-field root phenotyping tools for traits that are valuable, show genetic diversity and agronomic application, and that will contribute to yield and yield stability. The project involves a large multi-disciplinary team of National and International researchers on breeding, crop physiology, proximal crop and root sensing, and crop modelling. Commercial partners include all mayor seed breeding companies for wheat and sorghum in Australia as well as the main service providers of digital agriculture products.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Key responsibilities will include: 

Research

• Design and perform experiments and routine laboratory analyses, under broad direction.
• Assist the team in implementing complex field and controlled environment experimentation.
• Carry out and coordinate observations, many with complex instrumentation, following project protocols and carry out electronic data handling and data checking.
• Assist with agricultural management of crops (e.g., sowing, harvesting, monitoring) and experimental site management and follow agreed protocols to collect soil, root & plant samples and prepare these for analysis.
• Collect, analyse data sets, run and program simulation models (APSIM), and write journal and conference publications.
• Maintain confidentiality when dealing with commercially sensitive information.
• Participate in applications for competitive research funding to support projects and activities.
• 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.

2. Supervision and Researcher Development

• Contribute to the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students (as appropriate).
• Demonstrates personal effectiveness in supervision and the management of researcher development.
• Effective lead and develop supervisee performance and conduct by providing feedback, coaching, and professional development.
• As appropriate, manage research support staff effectively throughout the employee lifecycle in accordance with University policy and procedures.
• Working to promptly resolve conflict and grievances when they arise in accordance with University policy and procedures.

3. Citizenship and Service

• Demonstrate citizenship behaviours that align to the UQ values.
• Shows 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.
• Contribute to internal service roles and administrative processes as required, including participation in decision-making and service on relevant committees.
• Collaborate in service activities external to the immediate organisation unit.
• Begin to develop external links and partnerships by cultivating relationships with industry, government departments, professional bodies and the wider community.

This position is subject to The University’s Code of Conduct.  

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

This is a full time fixed term (4 years) position starting at Academic Level A.

The full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $87,846.14 - $100,926.59, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $102,779.98 - $118,084.11 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, flexible working arrangements, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

About the Centre for Crop Sciences

The Centre for Crop Sciences (CCS) at Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) is a research institute of The University of Queensland (UQ), supported by the Queensland Government. As one of the few research-intensive universities worldwide located in a subtropical environment, UQ is a global leader in agriculture and food science research in subtropical and tropical production systems. Agriculture-related research at UQ is consistently ranked among the best in the world.

About You  

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in crop eco-physiology and crop modelling.
• 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

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work rights: Visa sponsorship may be considered for this position
• 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

Relocating from interstate or overseas? We may be able to support you with the visa sponsorship process and a relocation support package. You can find out more about life in Australia’s Sunshine State here.

Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Prof Daniel Rodriguez d.rodriguez@uq.edu.au

For application queries, please contact talent@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

Want to Apply? 

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 talent@uq.edu.au.

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 7 March 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (R-38472). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for March.