Research Fellow: Spatial Analyst

Job no: 0057214
Location: Parkville
Role type: Part time (0.5FTE); Fixed-term 
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Department/School: School of Ecosystems and Forest Sciences
Salary: Level B – $110,236 – $130,900 p.a. (pro rata) plus 17% super

The University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples, the Yorta Yorta Nation, the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebration, initiation and renewal, and that the local Aboriginal Peoples have had and continue to have a unique role in the life of these lands.

About the School of Ecosystems and Forest Sciences
https://ecosystemforest.unimelb.edu.au/  

The School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences (SEFS) is Australia’s premier research and education provider dedicated to the study of ecosystem processes, sustainable land management, and environmental social science in forest and other ecosystems, covering the full range from natural to highly urbanised systems. SEFS combines expertise in the biological and physical sciences with environmental social science to provide research and teaching of applied ecosystem science that is relevant to society, delivering innovative solutions to the environmental issues faced by a rapidly growing global community. Our work spans from molecular to ecosystem scales, from technology to sociology, and from city to wilderness.

About the Role
The position involves working with the research team in the University of Melbourne, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Bush Heritage Australia and partner organisations as part of the Ian Potter Foundation Gift project: Mapping Conservation Futures. The project will build on current progress in integrating cross-cultural knowledge and aspirations toward a stronger evidence base for regional planning in Australia.

The project comprises three interrelated streams of work:

i) The development of a knowledge portal that will provide knowledge support to all stakeholders and organisations involved in strategy development and regional planning

ii) The implementation of national-scale analyses that will help organisations crystallise and represent understanding of environmental, cultural and economic risks and opportunities

iii) Regional planning case studies undertaken in at least four key case study regions that will exemplify the use of cross-cultural knowledges in support of regional plans.

Responsibilities include:

• Work with data systems experts and Conservation Futures team members to oversee the development of an Integrated Knowledge System that combines spatial data on conservation management, cultural knowledge, climate and other data relevant to landscape planning and management, and which can be used in implementation of national-scale analyses and regional planning practices
• Identify a wide range of datasets at multiple scales and assess their quality and relevance to the national project and regional case studies and partners
• Curate and integrate datasets into the system from a wide range of relevant sources, including co-developing meaningful cataloguing systems for organising diverse datasets

About You
You will have an excellent track record in dealing with a wide range of stakeholders with the ability to interact positively and productively as part of a team environment with a strong collaboration focus. You will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written and an excellent record of research productivity and publication in conservation science. You will also undertake independent research with a minimum of supervision. A broad understanding of issues relating to First Nations data monitoring and protective mechanisms particularly relating to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Data Sovereignty is desirable but not essential. 

You will also have:

• Completion of Ph.D. thesis and/or postdoctoral work in a discipline relevant to, conservation management, data analysis, data engineering and spatial mapping
• Strong track record in GIS and related mapping applications and in analyses using R, and familiarity with a wide range of Australian spatial data sources relevant to conservation, landscape and Country planning
• Experience with managing projects and working with systems developers
• Advanced computer skills and knowledge of conservation data and metadata management

Please note: To be considered for this role you must have current valid work rights for Australia.

About the University
The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

Benefits of Working with Us
In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements, generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits .

Be Yourself
We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please submit your application including a brief cover letter, your resume and your responses against the selection criteria^ (found in the Position Description) for the role.

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments with the recruitment process, please contact  us at [email protected] .

Position Description