Research Officer - Oceanography at UNSW

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

29 Jul, 26

Salary

110000.0

Posted On

30 Apr, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Physical Oceanography, Fieldwork, Data analysis, Project management, Matlab, Python, Instrument maintenance, Hydrographic sampling, Logistics, Technical reporting, Data processing, Oceanographic instrumentation, Manual handling, Budgeting, Purchasing

Industry

Higher Education

Description

* One of Australia’s leading research & teaching universities * Vibrant campus life with a strong sense of community & inclusion * Enjoy a career that makes a difference by collaborating & learning from the best At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work. The Coastal and Regional Oceanography group at UNSW is a dynamic team of researchers, including academics, postdocs, data scientists, field going technical staff, and PhD students conducting research focussed on ocean dynamics, connectivity, hydrodynamic model development and observing system design. The team are based in the School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences. The primary research goal of the Coastal and Regional Oceanography group is to make a major contribution to understanding and predicting our coastal oceans, shelf seas and their interaction with the mesoscale boundary currents. The role of the Research Officer is to support a variety of oceanography projects, including 1) the operational maintenance of ocean instruments for the NSW sub-facility of the Integrated Marine Observing System (NSW-IMOS) and 2) various research projects requiring the ongoing collection and processing of oceanographic data. Work will be focussed on small boats along the coast of eastern Australia including Yamba, Coffs Harbour to Sydney and Narooma. In addition, the work will include shore-based processing of the data collected to IMOS standard. The research team works within the UNSW Centre for Marine Science and Innovation. Additionally, we collaborate with State and Federal Government agencies and industry partners. Opportunities will exist to work closely with other IMOS scientists, technical staff and contractors around Australia. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the role * Level 6 - $103K - $110K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading * Fixed Term – 18 months (to June 30th, 2027) * Full-time (35 hours per week) The Research Officer will report to the Team Leader and has no direct reports. Specific responsibilities for this role include: * Assist in the ongoing operation of the field going oceanography program including co-ordination, logistics and participation in fieldwork activities (both IMOS and other). * Setup and data download of oceanographic instruments (including: Teledyne ADCP, Aquatec Aqualogger PTs, Seabird CTDs etc.) * Deploy oceanographic instruments at sea including moorings, gliders and undertake hydrographic sampling from small boats. * Maintenance and management of instrumentation including calibration registries and schedules * Liaise with manufacturers and suppliers regarding purchasing, maintenance, and calibration of instrumentation. * Contribute to technical reports, presentations, and research publications at local and national level where required. * Must be prepared to travel to regional locations on a regular basis and work outside of normal business hours. * Perform project administrative tasks as required, e.g., contribute to the development of project planning documents, budgets, purchasing and regular reporting. * Align with and actively demonstrate the UNSW Values in Action: Our Behaviours and the UNSW Code of Conduct. * Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of yourself or others. About the successful applicant (Selection Criteria) To be successful in this role you will have: * Master’s degree or equivalent experience in field going Physical Oceanography or related discipline (e.g., environmental science, coastal or ocean engineering). * Project management experience in industry, university and/or government agency research projects. * Demonstrated experience in deployment of oceanographic instrumentation. * Demonstrated experience in processing and analysis of oceanographic data. * Attention to detail and ability to work to deadlines. * Physically fit with the ability to work on boats at sea under a wide range of conditions, including manual handling of heavy equipment on land and on board moving vessels at sea. * Computing skills using desktop software and applications such as Matlab, Python, excel and Access databases. * Self-motivated and ability to work alone and as part of a team. * Current drivers’ licence, First Aid certificate or ability to obtain one. * An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives, and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines. * Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training. You should systematically address the selection criteria listed within the position description in your application. For informal queries, please see the below contact details. Otherwise, please apply online - applications will not be accepted if sent directly to the contact listed. Contact: Moninya Roughan E: mroughan@unsw.edu.au [mroughan@unsw.edu.au] Applications close: May 28th, 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Find out more about working at UNSW at www.unsw.edu.au UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Responsibilities

The Research Officer will support oceanography projects by maintaining ocean instruments and coordinating fieldwork activities along the eastern Australian coast. They are also responsible for processing collected data to IMOS standards and contributing to technical reports and research publications.