Field Research Fellow: Fire, Climate & Indigenous Livelihoods

University-of-Melbourne; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 87,000 - 118,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

17% superannuation

Salary packaging

Health & wellbeing programs

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The University of Melbourne invites applications for a part-time Research Fellow (0.8 FTE) in the Political Ecology of Fire and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. This fixed-term role supports pioneering ethnographic research within the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Science.

You will work with Indigenous communities, publish findings, and contribute to collaborative proposals while mentoring students and junior researchers.

Qualifications

• Hold, or be near completing, a PhD in human geography, anthropology, development studies or related fields.
• Apply advanced ethnographic methods and political ecology frameworks to analyse agrarian change and fire-related practices.
• Demonstrate deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and experience working with rural communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-quality ethnographic research on fire politics, gendered livelihoods and climate change adaptation in Southeast Asia.
• Produce scholarly publications, reports and presentations that advance political ecology and agrarian studies in the region.
• Contribute to collaborative research proposals, seminars and conferences, enhancing the School’s profile in critical human geography.
• Support supervision and mentoring of students and junior researchers involved in related projects and fieldwork.
• Engage respectfully with Indigenous communities, NGOs and stakeholders to build equitable, long-term research partnerships.

Skills

Ethnographic methods

Political ecology

Education

PhD in human geography, anthropology, development studies or related field

Job description

The University of Melbourne invites applications for a part-time Research Fellow (0.8 FTE) in the Political Ecology of Fire and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. This fixed-term role supports pioneering ethnographic research within the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Science.

You will work with Indigenous communities, publish findings, and contribute to collaborative proposals while mentoring students and junior researchers.