* 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.
THIS ROLE IS LOCATED IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) is expected to
carry out collaborative research in the field of Data Science and Climate
Science and to carry out activities to develop their research expertise relevant
to their particular field of research.
The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) will develop
cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (genAI) ocean current
forecasting and ship route optimization systems as part of the project “Ocean
forecasting for decarbonising Australia's Scope 3 transport supply chain
emissions”, which is funded by the Trailblazer for Renewables and Clean Energy
(TRaCE) and industry partner, CounterCurrent Pty Ltd.
The project builds upon the prototype ship route optimization algorithm invented
by Associate Professor Shane Keating (UNSW), which is being commercialized by
CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, a UNSW spinout company founded by A/Prof Keating.
This project is a joint collaborative research project between UNSW and
CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, leveraging the commercial and industry expertise of the
Partner and the deep domain knowledge in artificial intelligence and data
science at UNSW.
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About the role
* Level B - $127K - $150K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
* Fixed term – Approx. 9 months (to 31st March 2027)
* Full-time (35 hours per week)
Specific responsibilities for this role include:
* Engage in collaborative research in a manner consistent with disciplinary
practice in the area of AI ocean forecasting, data assimilation, and
reinforcement learning.
* Create scholarly impact in the discipline which is recognised by peers in the
advancement of disciplinary knowledge.
* Conduct research/scholarly activities under limited supervision, either
independently or as a member of a team (as per the norms of the discipline).
* Establish a personal research portfolio and start developing independent
research proposals.
* Contribute to the development of applications for competitive funding under
the guidance of senior colleagues.
* Participate as co-investigator or chief investigator in competitive grant
applications, or show evidence of active participation in research
collaborations funded by competitive grants.
* Design research projects for postgraduate students and junior postdoctoral
researchers.
* Mentor and guide students and colleagues and develop the next generation of
academics through involvement in supervision of HDRs (as per the norms of the
discipline).
* Develop, train, validate, and implement novel generative artificial
intelligence (genAI) ocean current forecasting systems for use in the
maritime industry.
* Exploit new developments in generative data assimilation, diffusion
modelling, flow matching, and reinforcement learning to refine and optimise
the system for ship route optimisation under uncertain ocean conditions.
* Contribute to CounterCurrent’s R&D roadmap and AI product development
strategy.
* Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values
* 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:
* A PhD in Climate Science, Oceanography, Computer Science, Data Science or a
related discipline, and/or relevant work experience.
* Expertise with AWS CPU and GPU computing, cloud computing, AI model
architecture, training, and validation, reinforcement learning, generative
artificial intelligence, and data assimilation in an industry and/or academic
setting.
* Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge
and developments.
* Demonstrated track record in research with outcomes of high quality and high
impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve
research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership.
* A track record of significant involvement with the profession and/or
industry.
* High level communication skills and ability to network effectively and
interact with a diverse range of students and staff.
* Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and
build effective relationships.
* Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and organisational skills.
* 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 provide a cover letter and 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:
Shane Keating
E: s.keating@unsw.edu.au [s.keating@unsw.edu.au]
Applications close: July 28th, 2026
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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 role involves performing senior-level research activities. Specific duties are not detailed but align with the Senior Research Associate title.
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