Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer

Description:

• Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

• Project management – GETCO2

• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 2 years

• Base salary will be in the range $78,871.35 - $105,004.02 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)

• Based at our St Lucia Campus - Brisbane

This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer to develop your skills in electrochemical engineering through the design, testing and performance evaluation of CO2 electrolysers and novel gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs). This position is funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (GETCO2). This opportunity will help you to develop your expertise and build your research profile as part of a multidisciplinary project team.

Key responsibilities will include:

Research:

• Develop and execute a cutting-edge research program focused on electrolyser design, testing, and evaluation, while employing best practice methodologies.

• Produce high-quality research outputs by publishing in top-tier outlets and contributing to knowledge transfer and commercialisation of intellectual property.

• Collaborate on joint research projects, apply for competitive funding, and engage with research end-users to translate and commercialise findings.

Teaching:

• Contribute to undergraduate or postgraduate teaching as required, ensuring high teaching quality through approved surveys and student outcomes, and implementing improvements or innovations based on feedback.

Supervision and Researcher Development:

• Provide effective supervision for Honours and Higher Degree by Research students, demonstrating personal effectiveness in mentoring and researcher development.

• Manage research support staff throughout the employment lifecycle, addressing conflicts and grievances promptly and in alignment with University policies and procedures.

Citizenship and Service:

• Exhibit citizenship behaviours aligned with UQ values, contributing to internal service roles, administrative processes, and decision-making within the Centre of Excellence and School of Chemical Engineering.

• Demonstrate leadership through collaboration, active participation in priority activities, and support for academic positions and operations during team members' absences.

• Engage in external service activities and foster relationships with industry, government, professional bodies, and the wider community to develop partnerships and external links.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, and within an environment where interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.

At the core of our teaching remains our students, and their experience with us sets a foundation for success far beyond graduation. UQ has made a commitment to making education opportunities available for all Queenslanders, regardless of personal, financial, or geographical barriers.

As part of our commitment to excellence in research and professional practice in academic contexts, we are proud to provide our staff with access to world-class facilities and equipment, grant writing support, greater research funding opportunities, and other forms of staff support and development.

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad: from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements and flexible start/finish times, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in chemical engineering, electrochemistry, or closely related discipline.

• Experience in laboratory research experiments with electrolysers for CO2 conversion, H2 production, or other electrochemical reactions.

• Professional experience, or demonstrated deep knowledge, in mass transfer in Chemical engineering and synthesis of porous GDE materials (e.g. non-carbon GDEs or microtubular GDEs). Strong knowledge and skills in fluid transportation are necessary, and also the applicant will be responsible for the microstructure characterisation and the evaluation of the GDEs.

• Strong ability to conduct novel research with limited supervision.

• An emerging profile in research in electrochemistry, porous electrodes, CO2 utilisation, or green energy-related discipline.

• Evidence of publications in Q1 refereed journals and presenting at conferences.

• Evidence of successful participation in collaborations, including international and/or industry collaborations.

• Some experience in meaningful internal service roles and contributions towards external activities.

The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia, criminal check, education check, mandatory immunisations, etc.

Relocating from interstate or overseas? We may support you with obtaining employer-sponsored work rights and a relocation support package. You can find out more about life in Australia’s Sunshine State here.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor John Zhu via z.zhu@uq.edu.au. For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Resume

• Cover letter

• Responses to the ‘About You’ section

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who do not meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

We know one of our strengths as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We are dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We are committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. Reach out to talent@uq.edu.au for accessibility support or adjustments.

Applications close on Thursday, 22 May 2025 at 11.00pm AEST (R-47422).