Research Associate - Geoscience Data Platforms

• Contribute to high-impact, cross-disciplinary research by developing scalable data platforms for geoscience, supporting Australia’s critical minerals sector.
• Work in a world-class research environment at UWA, collaborating with academic, industry, and government partners on real-world data science applications.
• Full-time appointment on a fixed term basis for 12 months.
• Base salary range: Level A, $80,520 - $108,362 p.a. plus 17% superannuation.

About the area

The ARC-funded Centre for Critical Resources for the Future (CCRF) is located within the School of Earth and Oceans at the University of Western Australia (UWA). The Centre collaborates across academia, industry, and government to address research challenges related to critical minerals. The Data to Knowledge Program plays a transformative role by generating insights for evidence-based geosciences, while providing training for the geoscientists of tomorrow. This cross-disciplinary research associate position will be hosted by the School of Physics, Mathematics, and Computing (PMC) at UWA. The PMC School has a strong tradition of world-leading research in computer vision, mathematical physics, data science and quantum measurement.

About the opportunity

• Support the development of scalable, customisable data platforms to enhance collaborative geoscience research.
• Integrate multidisciplinary datasets and ensure compliance with metadata standards at national and international levels.
• Apply cloud computing and data science to geoscience challenges in collaboration with researchers and industry partners.

About you

• Holds a PhD in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in full-stack development, cloud computing, and data engineering for geoscience applications.
• Proven research track record with experience designing metadata management tools, integrating cross-disciplinary datasets, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Skilled in advanced data wrangling, MLOps, version control systems, and designing scalable research platforms for data-intensive research environments.
• Experienced in collaborating with academic and industry partners, contributing to knowledge transfer, training, and data science upskilling across research teams.
• Familiar with modern data warehousing (e.g. data lakehouses, Snowflake), cloud platforms (e.g. Azure), and designing extensible data platforms that meet security and privacy requirements.

Position description:

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Associate Professor Wei Liu at wei.liu@uwa.edu.au and/or Natasha Bartlett at natasha.bartlett@uwa.edu.au

How to apply

Please apply online via the Apply Now button and address the selection criteria in your submission in a separate document. For information to assist you with compiling statements to answer the selection criteria, please visit Addressing the selection criteria.

You may submit a statement describing any personal circumstances relevant to your application. This can include academic/professional interruptions or achievements relative to opportunity.

Closing date: 11:55 PM AWST on Sunday, 11 May 2025.

This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

About the University

The University of Western Australia (UWA) is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and a member of the prestigious Australian Group of Eight research intensive universities. With a strong research track record, vibrant campus and working environments, supported by the freedom to innovate and inspire, there is no better time to join Western Australia’s top university.

Learn more about us.

Our commitment to inclusion and diversity

UWA is committed to a diverse workforce and an equitable and inclusive workplace. We are committed to fostering a safe environment for all, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQA+ community, and people living with disability.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application. Alternatively, you can contact us for assistance during the recruitment process.

If you have queries relating to your application, please contact the individual named in the advertisement. Alternatively, please contact the Talent team at talent-hr@uwa.edu.au with details of your query. To enable a quick response, please include the 6-digit job reference number.