Research Fellow - Biomass Conversion and Bioprocess Engineering

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 119,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave

Flexible work

Leave loading

Career progression

Job summary

The University of Queensland is seeking a Research Fellow to develop expertise in bioprocess engineering, biomass conversion and integrated process development at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation. You will lead activities within the ARC Hub, working with industry partners and academics to translate lab discoveries into scalable biomass-to-product processes.

You will supervise honours and HDR students, engage in daily lab work, and contribute to techno-economic analysis

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Emerging research profile demonstrated by publications and conference presentations.
• Experience in seeking and managing external research funding.
• Supervision experience of Honours and HDR students.
• Active involvement in internal service roles and external collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and optimisation of integrated biomass conversion processes.
• Advance the Hub’s one-pot biomass-to-product platform with robust workflows.
• Supervise and mentor Honours/HDR students and research staff.
• Contribute to safety, quality records and collaborative project planning.

Skills

Bioprocess engineering

Biochemical engineering

Industrial biotechnology

Process development

Experiment design

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation - University of Queensland Full‑time (100%), fixed term position up until July 2028. Base salary will be in the range $119,463 to $141,545 + 17% super (Academic Level B). Based at our St Lucia campus location.

About This Opportunity

This is an outstanding opportunity for a Research Fellow to develop expertise and an emerging research profile in bioprocess engineering, biomass conversion and integrated process development. The position forms part of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, Engineering Plants to Replace Fossil Carbon, a multi‑institutional initiative developing sustainable technologies to convert plant biomass into renewable fuels and high value chemicals. You will play a leading role in establishing, optimising and integrating biomass conversion processes, with a particular focus on the Hub’s one‑pot biomass‑to‑product platform. Working closely with academic researchers, postgraduate students and industry partners, including Novonesis, Sugar Research Australia and Praj Industries, you will help translate laboratory discoveries into robust and scalable bioprocesses with the potential for future industrial application. Given the highly collaborative and experimentally intensive nature of this research, you will actively engage in daily laboratory activities, student mentoring, and interactions with collaborators and industry partners. This is an exceptional opportunity to work at the interface of biotechnology and engineering, contributing to the development of sustainable biomass‑to‑product technologies with real‑world industrial impact.

Key responsibilities

• Research: Lead the development, establishment and optimisation of integrated biomass conversion processes for diverse lignocellulosic feedstocks. This will include advancing the Hub’s one‑pot biomass‑to‑product platform by integrating biomass pre‑treatment, enzymatic conversion and downstream processing into robust and scalable workflows. You will design, conduct and optimise bioprocess experiments under industrially relevant conditions, evaluate multi‑enzyme and biocatalytic systems, and develop strategies for process intensification, reactor optimisation and process integration. You will also contribute to techno‑economic evaluation, collaborative project planning, competitive research funding applications and high‑quality research outputs for academic and industry audiences.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Work collaboratively with colleagues and postgraduate students on interdisciplinary research projects. You will contribute to the supervision, mentoring and capability development of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students and research personnel, while supporting responsible research practices and a positive, inclusive research culture.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate leadership through collaboration and active participation in Hub activities, laboratory operations and internal service. You will develop productive relationships with industry, government and external collaborators, maintain high‑quality experimental records, and contribute to a safe, purposeful and well‑organised research environment.

About You

• Completion of a PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology, Bioprocess Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• An emerging research profile, demonstrated through publications in quality refereed journals and presentations 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.
• Demonstrated research experience in bioprocess engineering, industrial biotechnology, biomass conversion, or related areas, including process development, optimisation and experimental design.
• Experience with biocatalytic systems, fermentation systems, or integrated bioprocesses.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and manage multiple priorities to achieve project outcomes.

Additional relevant experience

• Lignocellulosic biomass processing.
• Reactor design, scale‑up or process integration.
• Enzyme immobilisation, process intensification or continuous processing technologies.
• Techno‑economic analysis, process modelling or life‑cycle assessment.
• Working with industry partners or within applied research environments.

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 26weeks 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, 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 Friday 4 December 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-70414).

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.

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.