PhD Scholarship – The influence of groundwater inputs on coastal nutrient dynamics

$29,863.00 (2023 RTP base rate) per annum for 3.25 years, full-time study. Further top-ups are available for suitably qualified students.  

We are offering a PhD candidature in the field of coastal biogeochemistry. This multifaceted project will incorporate a range of related fields, including groundwater hydrology, isotope geochemistry and coastal water quality modelling. The student will be based in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University in Lismore, NSW. The successful PhD candidate will be involved in an outstanding research group that is focused on delivering significant impact in areas of groundwater and coastal systems management and modelling and to better understand the mechanisms behind coastal nutrient dynamics. The student will work closely with a number of stakeholders, including CSIRO Land and Water, Sydney Water and Environment NSW.

The project will expand on our groups expertise in ‘bringing the lab to the field’. It will bring together precision measurements of natural radioisotopes (radon and radium), greenhouse gases (CO2 , CH4 and N2 0; using cavity ring-down spectrometry), high-resolution nutrient autosamplers and mobile membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) to quantify the drivers and rates of nutrient cycling in a range of coastal settings. The aim of the project is to better determine the impact of anthropogenic influences on coastal nutrient cycling. This will allow land and marine managers to best target mitigation measures and decrease the impact on the natural environment. Field sites include the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and the Hawkesbury Estuary in central NSW.

In addition, our research program provides the opportunity to be involved in a broad range of activities relating to water quality modelling, nutrient processes and fluxes, sediment dynamics and carbon processing in a range of coastal ecosystems. 

Eligibility:

Essential

• BSc Honours Class 1 or M.Sc. (or equivalent via an outstanding record of professional or research achievements) Proven expertise in high-quality data analysis and writing Excellent computer, communication, and organisational skills Fieldwork experience, including the deployment and management of field loggers, autosamplers Forward thinking, innovation and creativity are encouraged

Desirable

• Experience with high-precision scientific analysers (ie mass spectrometers) Experience with collecting and analysing isotopic data Experience with computer modelling, including groundwater modelling Experience with nutrient cycling and processes Demonstrated publication record in the field in high-impact journals

Application

Applications are open to both domestic and international applicants. Please send your Curriculum Vitae, a copy of your academic record, and a 2-page cover letter outlining your research goals and experience relevant to the research topic to Dr Douglas Tait (Email: douglas.tait@scu.edu.au ). Applicants must meet the SCU’s HDR admission requirements if not already enrolled.