Research Projects Officer

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

Role highlights:

• Contribute to cutting-edge vector biology and vector control research at CSIRO’s ACDP.
• Bring your entomology expertise to hands-on work with mosquito and other arthropod colonies.
• Join a collaborative research environment supporting Australia’s disease preparedness capability.

The opportunity:

Join CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) as a Research Technician - Insectary and contribute to world class research that advances our understanding of disease vectors and their control. In this hands-on role, you’ll bring your entomology expertise to establish, maintain and characterise mosquito and other arthropod colonies, including species identification and scientific imaging. You’ll contribute to research on vector biology, vector competence and vector control, applying specialised techniques including arthropod infection and dissection and molecular methods. Working closely with scientists, technical staff and students, you will support experimental studies, collect and manage data and contribute to high quality research outcomes. You’ll also play an important role in the day-to-day operation of the ACDP Insectary. This includes routine laboratory activities, record keeping and other operational tasks essential to keeping the facility running safely and effectively within a highly regulated environment.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Establishing, optimising and maintaining colonies of mosquitoes and other arthropods to support research and operational requirements.
• Conducting arthropod species identification, imaging, infection, dissection, molecular techniques and other specialised procedures.
• Contributing to the planning and delivery of research projects through experimental design, data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Maintaining a clean, organised and well-stocked environment, ensuring equipment is maintained to a safe operational standard.
• Contributing to the procurement, receipt and inventory management of Insectary consumables and biological materials.
• Maintaining accurate records and developing, reviewing and improving procedures, work instructions and other controlled documentation in accordance with regulatory and quality standards.

Role particulars:

• Location and office arrangements: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Geelong, VIC.
• Salary: AU$100k – AU$113k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation.
• Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite; full time.
• Reference: 104320.

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• A degree in science or related discipline and/or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in entomology, including arthropod handling, species identification.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues and collaborators.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple competing priorities, reprioritise work as required, and meet deadlines.
• A high attention to detail, with demonstrated experience maintaining accurate records and documentation.
• The ability to meet the ‘Special ACDP requirements’ as listed in the position description.

For full details about this role, and other criteria, please review the Position Description.

Setting you up for success:

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements:

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities.

Inclusion and belonging:

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong.

Eligibility:

Applications for this position are open to Australian Citizens. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check, Negative Vetting Level 1 security check (to be arranged post-commencement) and the ability to meet the security and microbiological security requirements specific to ACDP.

Child safety:

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs.

Applications close Tuesday 27 October 2026, 11:00pm AEST.