Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Fellow - Microbial Ecologist/Biochemist

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 54,000 - 72,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Flexible working

Career progression

Job summary

University of Queensland invites applications for a part‑time Research Fellow position in the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. Based at St Lucia, the role supports soil microbiology, bioinformatics and enzyme technology research.

Academic Level A/B options exist with opportunities to lead projects and contribute to funding Applicants should have a PhD in the discipline, an emerging or growing research profile, and evidence of external funding or potential.

Qualifications

• Level A completion or near completion of a PhD.
• Emerging profile in research with publications in refereed journals.
• Evidence of external research funding and conference presentations.
• Experience supervising Honours or HDR students advised.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to high‑quality research in soil microbiology and bioinformatics.
• Develop independent or collaborative research program and seek funding.
• Translate research findings for end users and industry partnerships.
• Supervise Honours and HDR students and support researcher development.

Skills

PhD in discipline

Research experience

Publications

Grant writing

Collaborative skills

Education

PhD in discipline area

Job description

School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences

Part‑time (60%), fixed term position up to April 2028. Academic Level A / Level B. Based at our St Lucia location.

About This Opportunity

This is a rewarding opportunity to join a collaborative research environment advancing knowledge in soil microbiology, bioinformatics and enzyme technology, with the potential to contribute to research that delivers meaningful outcomes for agriculture and research end users. The position is available at Academic Level A or B, providing scope for appointment as either a Postdoctoral Research Fellow or Research Fellow, depending on the successful candidate’s qualifications, experience and research profile. At Academic Level A, you will have the opportunity to strengthen your research expertise and establish an emerging profile through high‑quality research outputs, collaborative projects and contributions to competitive research funding. At Academic Level B, you will bring a growing research profile and take greater ownership of an independent and/or collaborative research program, with opportunities to lead research outputs, contribute as a chief investigator to funding applications, support researcher development and build productive partnerships that extend the reach and impact of the research.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: At Academic Level A, contribute to high‑quality research in soil microbiology, bioinformatics and enzyme technology, building your research profile through publications, collaborative projects and competitive funding applications. At Academic Level B, take greater responsibility for developing an independent and/or collaborative research program, taking a lead role in research outputs and contributing to, and where appropriate leading, competitive funding applications, while advancing knowledge and practices towards research end users.
• Research Translation and Collaboration: Work collaboratively with colleagues, research partners and end users to translate research findings into meaningful outcomes. At Academic Level B, take a greater role in developing research partnerships and extending the reach and impact of the research.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: At Academic Level A, contribute to the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students and support the development of researcher capability and skills. At Academic Level B, demonstrate a developing track record of effective supervision, facilitate the development of researcher capability and create opportunities for researcher engagement.
• Citizenship and Service: At Academic Level A, contribute to a collaborative and inclusive academic community through active participation in priority activities, internal service and engagement. At Academic Level B, demonstrate greater leadership through mentoring and collaboration, while actively developing relationships with industry, government, professional bodies and the wider community.

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

About You

Level A Completion or near completion of a PhD in the discipline area. An emerging profile in research in the discipline area. Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences. Evidence of contributions towards successfully obtaining external research funding. Some experience in meaningful internal service roles and contributions towards external activities.

Level B Completion of a PhD in the discipline area. A growing profile in research in the discipline area. A developing reputation and track record of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences. Evidence of successfully seeking, obtaining and managing external research funding. A growing record of supervision of Honours and Research Higher Degree students to successful completion. Experience in meaningful internal service roles in conjunction with active contributions to external 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, flexible working arrangements, access to exclusive internal‑only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

Other Information

Pre‑employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia and qualifications. 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 November 25 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-69895). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for week commencing December 7 2026.