Director - Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research

CSIRO and Parks Australia seek to appoint a highly skilled, creative and innovative scientist to be the Director of the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (Centre).

The Centre is a collaborative joint venture between CSIRO and the Director of National Parks (DNP), which aims to enhance the outputs and uptake from biodiversity research from the combined resources of the parties.

The activities of the Centre include:

• Australian National Herbarium
• An active research program involving Taxonomy and Systematics, Genetics and Ecosystem Science and their practical application to conserving biodiversity 
• Taxonomy Research Information Network
• Australia’s Virtual Herbarium

Centre projects use the collection resources of the Australian National Herbarium (ANH), the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) and partner Australian herbaria and overseas agencies.

Location:  Canberra
Salary:     $137K - $172K plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Ref. No.:   2010/741
Applications Close: 31 October 2010

The Position:

The Director will manage the resources of the Centre, working with a Board of Management. 

Specifically the role will involve:

• Scientific leadership, including a personal research program and ensuring the scientific excellence of the collections and research carried out by the Centre.
• Responsibility for managing financial and human resources, including seeking external sources of funds with the assistance of CSIRO administrative staff. 
• Facilitating and managing external partnerships and key relationships including the relationship  between CSIRO and DNP.
• Working with Group Leaders to maintain and develop the activities and functions of the Centre.
• Monitoring and reporting to the Board of Management on the performance of the Centre against agreed performance indicators.
• Promoting the role of the Centre and strengthening its relevance to the community and partners through outreach programs, training, and provision of biodiversity information.
• Overseeing research and survey teams working on both flora and fauna.

To be successful you will have:

• PhD and a research and publication history in evolutionary biology, preferably with expertise in systematics
• High level management skills and experience in operating in a complex environment
• Strong leadership, communication and motivational skills 
• Initiative, creativity and ability to conduct innovative research 
• Demonstrated collaborative abilities in research project development, design and execution
• Demonstrated familiarity with the management of herbaria or other biological collections

Who we are:

CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) is Australia's leading research organisation with the aim of delivering great science and innovative solutions for industry, society and the environment.

The Director of National Parks is responsible for managing the Australian Government's protected area estate.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are encouraged to apply for all CSIRO positions.