CSIRO SMX Geodatabase Postdoctoral Fellowship

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The opportunity

• A great opportunity for an early career researcher with a PhD in physics, geosciences, data science or computer science
• Work on researching and developing a structured database to access and integrate public geoscientific and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices
• Work with the Geoscience Analytics team within the CSIRO Mineral Resources Research Unit on this 3-year postdoctoral fellowship

CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate and have less than three years of relevant postdoctoral work experience. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system.

The exploration, extraction, and processing of minerals interact with the environment and affect nearby communities in distinct ways, depending on the commodity involved. From initial geophysical surveys and drillings to strategies for managing mineral waste and mine closure, each phase has significant implications for society and the environment. This reality underscores the growing importance of Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices in the global context.

Australia possesses one of the most comprehensive geoscientific data collections globally; however, this data is often underutilized when addressing ESG challenges. This underutilization is particularly pronounced in the context of Critical Minerals, which are essential for Energy Transition and Climate Change mitigation.

Given the complex interdependence of social and environmental factors related to the mining industry, conducting a thorough risk assessment prior to investment in any area is essential. The risks associated with ESG considerations—encompassing social and environmental factors, as well as geoscientific data—must be carefully evaluated. By integrating mineral resource data, environmental exposure, and social aspects with mining processes, this proposal aims to connect regions with identified prospectivity potential to the associated ESG risks. 

The CERC Fellow will research and develop a structured database to access and integrate public geoscientific and ESG, being open for insertion unstructured data and automatically structure it to the platform needs.

Your duties will include:

• Researching and developing a database structure to access and obtain external data sources of georeferenced information on-the-fly (e.g. Geoscience Australia Portal, AuScope, CSIRO Exploration Toolkit).
• Developing the database structure to host structured and non-structured information, with the possibility of direct access and update from authorized users.
• Incorporating geoscientific, social, environmental and economy-related maps (vectorized and raster) information to the database.
• Development of a strategy to standardize and correlate the data, producing a text-based output.
• Implementing this structure into an online interactive GIS-based platform.

Location: Perth, Western Australia or Sydney, New South Wales

Salary: AU$99,990 - AU$109,527 plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Specified term of 3 years

Reference: 99012

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as Physics, Geosciences, Data Science, or Computer Science. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated expertise with large-datasets development and management.
• Demonstrated expertise in implementation algorithms to correlate structured and unstructured data, producing automatized responses. 
• Demonstrated expertise in high-level programming language(s) such as Python or similar.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including the presentation of research outcomes at national and international conferences.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents or you must either hold, or be able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Flexible working arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

Diversity and inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to apply

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

Applications close

30 March 2025, 11:00pm AEDT