Key behaviours

• Very strong commitment to team based process and outcomes
• Strong leadership and motivational skills
• Commitment to mentoring of students, early and mid career scientists and indigenous community members with an interest in research
• Capacity to address applied questions in a scientifically rigorous and theoretically robust way
• Highly professional delivery of project outcomes – on time, on budget and on brief
• Excellent communication of scientific results and their implications

Key relationships

Internal

• Members of the Office of the Chief, Group and Program Leaders, Theme Leaders, Senior Divisional Support Staff, staff within the Alice Springs lab and CSIRO Indigenous Engagement Coordinators

External

• Major clients in government, industry, universities, NRM bodies and the wider community, other R&D organisations such as Cooperative Research Centres and joint venture collaborators

Key result areas

• Substantial research impacts through high quality research that improves natural resource outcomes in desert lands, enhances regional sustainability and strengthens livelihoods of desert people.
• Build and manage well functioning teams and help deliver CSIRO’s organisational objectives.
• Provide a research environment that nurtures staff and encourages wellbeing.
• Encourage practices and behaviours that support creativity, commitment and co-operation.
• Maintain a balance between the skills and capability in the research group with the needs of research managers and research funders by looking ahead to future demands and by maintaining flexibility within the group.
• Assist the Research Program Leader and relevant Theme Leaders to identify international and emerging science trends and contribute to strategies to enhance science capability, quality and impact.
• Contribute to business and science development by building relationships, partnerships and collaborations.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and potential funders in order to attract funding for issues of scientific and community importance.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the Program, the Division and research Themes and adopt a co-operative perspective that acknowledges the role of the group within the wider CSIRO community.
• Group management and management of site-wide issues at the Alice Springs lab.

Applicants must address the selection criteria.  Applicants that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered.  To assist you prepare your application please read the information available at "Guidelines for Applicants"

Essential

1. PhD and/or equivalent relevant experience as well as documented research achievements in a relevant domain that have had a significant influence on a field of research, industry or the community.
2. Established research record and field work experience relating to ecological and human perspectives on landscapes and their management.
3. Demonstrated ability to work at a senior level with client groups, build partnerships and develop collaborative research programs.
4. Demonstrated ability to take a leadership role in supporting inter-disciplinary research.
5. Demonstrated ability to build, nurture and maintain teams with a multi-disciplinary focus.
6. Experience in developing and running a research program that is innovative, attracts external funding and consists of a team of productive people at various stages of their career including post-graduate and post-doctoral as well as early, mid and late career scientists.
7. Willingness to live in a regional community, along with an aptitude to manage the personal and professional challenges this brings.
8. High level communication of research results, leading to management and policy impacts.
9. Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication, negotiation and representational skills for establishing and maintaining relationships with staff, management and stakeholders in industry, funding bodies, government and the general community.
10. Knowledge, understanding and commitment to principles of Workplace Diversity, Equal Employment Opportunity, Occupational Health, Safety and Environment and Employee Participation.

Desirable

1. World leader in a significant field of research and evidence of significant national or international adoption of your work in delivering significant improvements to the community.
2. The ability to attract collaborative research proposals from internationally recognised researchers and organisations and the ability to attract high calibre staff and visitors from Australia and overseas.
3. Established research record and field work in arid or semi arid areas.
4. Experience in managing the competing interests of a diversity of land uses, possibly through participatory research.
5. Ability to adapt science focus to emerging trends such as climate change.
6. Experience in cross-cultural partnerships and research with indigenous peoples.

Applications

Before you apply ensure that your documents are in Text, MS Word or PDF. Ensure your file is not larger than 1MB in PDF format, or 2MB for all other formats. Your Documents will be converted into PDF format.

CSIRO prefers applications be lodged online via this careers site.

You are required to include two documents:(1) A document Addressing the "Selection Criteria" and

(2) A "Resume or CV" including the names of at least two referees.

Note:  Applications that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered.

If you experience difficulties applying online call 1300 301 509 and someone will be able to assist you. Outside business hours please email: csiro-careers@csiro.au

If you are unable to lodge your application online, please fax your application (quoting reference number 2008/556) to +61 2 6246 4455  or alternatively post to:

CSIRO Careers Online

PO Box 225

DICKSON ACT 2602

Contact: Should, after reading the position information, you require more information on this position please contact Dr Margaret Friedel via email Margaret.Friedel@csiro.au or phone 08 8950 7140 or Dr Ian Watson via email Ian.Watson@csiro.au or phone 07 4753 8606 or 0438 122 512.

Please do not email your application directly to Margaret or Ian. Applications received via this method will not be considered. Please use the 'Apply Now' link.

CSIRO

CSIRO's purpose is to deliver great science and innovative solutions for industry, society and the environment by igniting the creative spirit of our people. 

People are at the centre of everything we do. We work to create the right environment to amplify our talent. We take a ‘Team Australia’ approach.  It is not enough just to have a great idea; we must have impact, solve problems and make a difference. We take a triple bottom line focus in our activities, balancing between commerce and the public good.

Great science is our foundation. Getting it out there is our aim.

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (CSE)

Through our core strengths in ecology, agricultural science, urban science, economics, social science and systems integration CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (CSE) works in partnerships with industries, land managers, communities and policy makers towards science-based solutions that are both relevant and significant in the affairs of Australia.  Strong science combined with research and end-user partnerships are intended to ensure CSE asks the right questions and delivers meaningful and enduring outcomes to the people who govern, manage and live in Australia’s unique natural and built environments.  We are committed to scientific excellence, delivered at local, regional and national scales to ensure relevance and impact.  Our research expertise is increasingly delivered in an integrated way through landscape-based activities and partnerships with communities, industries and institutions.

By working with our partners in government, industry and the wider community we will continue to grow the positive social and economic impact we have on individual enterprises, and in rural, regional and urban communities.  While we aim to address the immediate issues facing our partners and clients, we also recognise an important responsibility to provide the scientific underpinning and stimulus to the national debate on the long-term sustainability of Australia.  Our pathway to impact lies in better practice and policy and in enhanced human and institutional capability at a range of local, regional, national and potentially international scales.

CSE's Alice Springs Laboratory

CSIRO’s Alice Springs Laboratory undertakes primary research into the ecology and management of Australia's arid and semi-arid lands.  It has a strong focus on desert livelihoods, and includes active engagement with indigenous communities. Staff in Alice Springs are part of the Rangelands and Savannas Program of CSIRO’s Division of Sustainable Ecosystems. The Division has teams based in all Australian States and Territories and the Alice Springs team works with Program colleagues in Darwin, Townsville, Brisbane and Canberra. The Alice Springs Laboratory has collaborative links with other CSIRO divisions, universities, government agencies, CRCs, NRM bodies, industry and community groups throughout Australia.

In 2009 the CSIRO team will relocate into new facilities currently under development on the Desert Knowledge Precinct, a multi-user precinct focused on the application of knowledge services to the benefit of Australia’s deserts, desert industries and peoples.

Alice Springs is a vibrant community of 27,000 people, set in a spectacular landscape in the centre of Australia’s arid zone. The town is located on traditional land of Arrernte peoples in a region with substantial landscape, cultural and linguistic diversity. About 25% of the Alice Springs population and more than 75% of the population of the surrounding region are indigenous. It is home to a diverse range of people and has a lively scientific community as well as offering a wide variety of cultural and sporting activities. As a tourist destination it has many facilities usually only found in larger towns and there are daily flights to most capital cities.

For more information on CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems go to www.cse.csiro.au