OPPORTUNITIES
RESEARCH FELLOW IN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES/ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
Location: Queenscliff (1st preference) or Burwood (2nd preference) campus of Deakin University, but working remotely (within Australia) would be considered if the right candidate was found.
Full-time, fixed term (1 year) Level A or level B (AUD $71,348 to $100,837 + 17% Superannuation) dependent on qualifications and experience.
Role description: We are seeking a highly skilled environmental-economist or scientist/ecologist with experience in ecosystem services quantification and/or valuation (preferably marine & coastal). This position will join a team of researchers at Deakin University on a multi-disciplinary, cross-institution project, to value the ecosystem services of marine and coastal ecosystems (specifically mangroves, saltmarsh, seagrass). This project will assess the extent and condition of marine and coastal ecosystems, and quantify the biophysical and monetary flows of a suite of ecosystem services, in particular blue carbon, fisheries, coastal protection, recreational and cultural services. Strong project management and writing skills are pivotal to the success of this position. The ability to liaise across multiple stakeholder groups and with other researchers is also an important part of this position.
To be successful, you’ll have:
• PhD in ecology/environmental science/environmental economics or a Masters (with significant work experience)
• Significant project management experience
• Significant experience writing papers or reports or other documents
• Strong skills in liaising with external collaborators, funders and stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience valuing market or non-market benefits of the environment to people, OR other environmental-economic data, with a preference for experience in marine and coastal or freshwater ecosystems. This may include experience in formulating, implementing, and applying quantitative economic models to fisheries, environmental and/or other natural resource management issues
• A demonstrated record of working/research excellence, indicated by the outcomes of completed reports or scientific publications.
• Experience working in teams with strong inter-personal skills
If you have these skills, would be an advantage:
• Experience or knowledge of Environmental-Economic Accounting (EEA) standards such as the UN System for Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA)
• Experience writing of documents that can be read and understood by a wide-ranging audience
Applications open now.
To apply, send paul.carnell@deakin.edu.au your CV and a cover letter cover letter addressing the selection criteria.
PHD: THE EFFECTS OF RESTORATION ON BELOWGROUND PROCESSES IN COASTAL WETLANDS
We are looking for a Ph.D. candidate to join an ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award on microbial carbon breakdown in wetland ecosystems.
Applications open now to 1 May 2022, or until the position is filled.
To apply, send strevat@deakin.edu.au your CV and a cover letter outlining your research interests and experience and why you want to do this PhD. Please include contact details for two referees.
Call for PhD candidates to join our team and lead research on Coastal ‘Blue’ Carbon, Freshwater ‘Teal’ carbon, Ecosystem restoration, Ecosystem services, Farm Dams, and more. Please get in contact with p.macreadie@deakin.edu.au and attach your CV and a Cover letter outlining your research interests and experience.
PHD: TRANSLATING BLUE CARBON SCIENCE INTO ON-GROUND ACTION
(No longer accepting applications) We have a fully-funded PhD Scholarship available for immediate start, for a student interested in making real-world impact with blue carbon research.
The opportunity
Blue carbon ecosystems – mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes- present a powerful opportunity to store carbon via natural processes. While research has made great strides in learning how best to restore these ecosystems and maximise their carbon storage potential, there are still social, legal, and financial considerations when planning blue carbon ecosystem restoration at scale. We are uniquely positioned in Australia to take decisive action on blue carbon opportunities, as we are the largest global contributor to blue carbon wealth.
This PhD student will have the opportunity to craft a project that contributes to making blue carbon restoration projects scalable, replicable, and cost-effective. This can include supporting the sustainable and equitable sharing of blue carbon benefits, improving blue carbon governance arrangements, and exploring new approaches to financing blue carbon projects. This opportunity would be suitable for candidates with a background in social science, environmental science, policy, and/or economics.
Instructions
PhD applicants should email the following documents to p.macreadie@deakin.edu.au
- CV highlighting your skills, education, publications and relevant work experience
- Cover letter (1 page) outlining your interest in the position and how your previous experience and skills suit the position
PHD: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM FARM DAMS
We are looking for a Ph.D. candidate to join an ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award on “Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Farm Dams”.
The opportunity
Australian farm dams have some of the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per area among freshwater ecosystems. In Victoria alone, we estimated they release over 4,800 tonnes of CO2‐equivalent each day, which is 4.5% of all the State’s agricultural emissions. These recently discovered emissions are triggered by fertiliser and manure run-off increasing nutrients and creating the ideal conditions for the production of methane (CH4) – a gas with 20-30 times greater warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2).
This PhD project will aim to address the following aspects:
- Capture spatial and temporal variability in greenhouse gas emissions among farm dams
- Investigate the role of biotic (e.g., vegetation) and abiotic (e.g., climate) factors on greenhouse gas emissions
- Determine the impact of management interventions (e.g., fencing) and land use type (e.g., livestock, crops) on greenhouse gas emissions
- Analyse the role of microbial communities on methane emissions
To learn more, visit https://www.bluecarbonlab.org/farm-dams.
Desired qualifications
- Experience publishing in peer-reviewed scientific journal (preferably as first author)
- First class Honours or Masters
- Familiar with the statistical software R (or similar)
- Experience in carrying our research in environmental sciences, ecology, or similar
- Experience with spatial modelling or remote sensing
The laboratory
Deakin University’s Blue Carbon Lab is a multi-disciplinary research group at the forefront of global efforts to improve lives and livelihoods sustainably. We led the first study reporting unusually high methane emissions from farm dams (Ollivier et al. 2018). We also delivered a continental-scale map of farm dams in Australia (Malerba et al. 2021). We have collaborative partnerships and projects across 30 countries and are recognised as world leaders in the science underpinning natural climate solutions.
The candidate will work in close collaboration with the Sustainable Farms project at Australian National University. The Sustainable Farms project is among Australia’s leading research groups in sustainable farming. In recent years, Sustainable Farms have been monitoring the positive effects of farm dam enhancements on biodiversity, water security, and farming productivity. For the past two years, Sustainable Farms and Blue Carbon Lab worked together to show that enhancing farm dams can also reduce methane emissions. The successful candidate will further improve our understanding of the drivers of methane emissions at micro and macro scales.
Instructions
PhD applicants should email the following documents to Dr Martino Malerba (m.malerba@deakin.edu.au):
- CV highlighting your skills, education, publications and relevant work experience
- Cover letter (1 page) outlining your interest in the position and how your previous experience and technical skills suit the position
- The project will have a strong quantitative component. Extensive experience with the statistical package R (or similar coding languages) is a requirement. Ensure to outline any quantitative experience in the cover letter
Please note:
- The student will be enrolled in a 3-year PhD. Applicants will be based at Deakin University’s Burwood campus (Melbourne).
- We are unable to provide individual feedback on competitiveness. The following features were common among successful PhD candidates at the Blue Carbon Lab: (a) A first-authored paper in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, (b) first class Honours/Masters, (c) strong quantitative skills, and (d) experience working in similar topics.
- Whilst we still accept applications from any persons interested in our roles, due to the impacts of COVID-19, we are currently prioritising applications from those with current working rights in Australia.
Other opportunities (Postdoctoral fellows & Volunteers)
American-Australian Education Fund
The USA to Australia Graduate Education Scholarships will support full-time Graduate level study (Masters, Ph.D. or Postdoctoral Research) in the fields of STEM at an accredited educational institution in Australia. Open for application on September 1 to October 15 each year.
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
These fellowships aim to recruit and support talented early career researchers whose areas of research interest directly align with research priorities at Deakin University. Contact Dr Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa and Dr Maria Palacios with your CV and research interests to discuss available opportunities.
Please note this scheme accepts applications from candidates who are nationally competitive for national and international fellowship schemes and project funding schemes, and undertake innovative research aligned directly with Deakin University Impact Themes and strategic research
priorities. Applicants must have been awarded a PhD on or after 1st January 2019 (with allowable career interruptions).
Volunteers & Interns (open)
Students are always welcome to join us in the laboratory and the field. Please fill out this form to let us know how you would like to get involved! Depending on your skills and interest, you might help processing soil samples in the lab, entering Blue Carbon data, joining one our coring campaigns, and more. It is a great opportunity to get upskilled and meet our scientists!
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