Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Crop Gene Editing

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 weeks parental leave

17.5% annual leave loading

Health and wellness discounts

Job summary

University of Queensland, in Brisbane, is seeking a full-time, fixed-term researcher for the Better Sorghums project. The role focuses on crop biotechnology and CRISPR gene editing to develop novel grain sorghums, with responsibilities spanning laboratory, glasshouse and field experiments, plus collaboration with industry partners.

Applicants should have or be near completion of a PhD, a track record of quality publications, and experience mentoring HDR students; strong teamwork and stakeholder

Qualifications

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in crop biotechnology, plant gene editing or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in plant gene editing, particularly in cereal crops.
• Evidence of quality research outputs, including publications in reputable refereed journals and presentations at conferences.

Responsibilities

• Research: Undertake laboratory, glasshouse and field experiments with Better Sorghum hybrids, produce quality outputs, contribute to funding applications.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Supervise and develop Honours/HDR students as appropriate and support researchers’ development.
• Citizenship and Service: Build productive relationships with colleagues, breeders, commercial seed companies, partners and government.

Skills

Lab research

CRISPR gene editing

Phenotypic analysis

Collaboration

Research supervision

Education

PhD in crop biotechnology or closely related field

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Job description

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation - University of Queensland Full-time (100%), fixed-term position until 30 November 2029 Full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $85,372 - $113,659 + 17% super (Academic Level A). Based at our St Lucia campus location.

About This Opportunity

Join the Better Sorghums project, part of the UQ-Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Sorghum Strategic Alliance. The project brings together UQ, the University of Sydney Poultry Research Foundation and commercial seed companies to advance sorghum research. In this research-focused role, you will use biotechnology and CRISPR gene editing to develop new grain hybrid sorghums with the potential to improve crop yield, protein content and protein digestibility. Working within a collaborative research team, you will build your emerging research profile while contributing to crop research for meaningful industry impact.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: Undertake laboratory, glasshouse and ultimately field experiments with Better Sorghum hybrids, produce quality research outputs, contribute to collaborative research and funding applications, and support the translation and commercialisation of research outcomes.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Contribute to the effective supervision and development of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students, as appropriate, and support the responsible and effective development of researchers.
• Citizenship and Service: Contribute to internal service activities and build productive relationships with colleagues, plant breeders, commercial seed companies, research partners, government, professional bodies and other research end users.

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

About You

Completion or near completion of a PhD in crop biotechnology, plant gene editing or a closely related discipline. Demonstrated experience in plant gene editing, particularly in cereal crops. Evidence of quality research outputs, including publications in reputable refereed journals and presentations at conferences. Experience in developing and conducting phenotypic analysis of gene-edited cereal crops in glasshouse and field environments. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with researchers and contribute to joint research projects and funding activities. Experience collaborating with plant breeders in public and/or private sector environments would be highly regarded. Capacity to contribute positively to academic citizenship, research supervision, industry engagement and collaborative team activities.

About UQ

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. 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, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million). Our state-of-the-art facilities, libraries, and cutting-edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries. UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way. UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high-quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed. Explore our current job openings, discover our programs, and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work. For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.

Other Information

• Pre-employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications, professional registration (e.g. AHPRA), criminal history checks, mandatory immunisations, First Aid and/or CPR certification, and Blue Card checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.
• You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply.
• Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.
• We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity.
• We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

Applications close Thursday 26 November 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-70232). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for Friday 4 December 2026.