Senior Research Associate

• This Job is based in Australia
• Senior Research Associate
• Apply now Job no: 540823

Work type: Full Time

Location: Sydney, NSW

Categories: Senior Research Associate

• One of Australias leading research & teaching universities
• Vibrant campus life with a strong sense of community & inclusion
• Enjoy a career that makes a difference by collaborating & learning from the best

THIS ROLE IS LOCATED IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.

The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) is expected to carry out collaborative research in the field of Data Science and Climate Science and to carry out activities to develop their research expertise relevant to their particular field of research.

The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) will develop cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (genAI) ocean current forecasting and ship route optimization systems as part of the project Ocean forecasting for decarbonising Australias Scope 3 transport supply chain emissions, which is funded by the Trailblazer for Renewables and Clean Energy (TRaCE) and industry partner, CounterCurrent Pty Ltd.

The project builds upon the prototype ship route optimization algorithm invented by Associate Professor Shane Keating (UNSW), which is being commercialized by CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, a UNSW spinout company founded by A/Prof Keating.

This project is a joint collaborative research project between UNSW and CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, leveraging the commercial and industry expertise of the Partner and the deep domain knowledge in artificial intelligence and data science at UNSW.

About The Role

• Level B - $127K - $150K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
• Fixed term – Approx. 9 months (to 31st March 2027)
• Full-time (35 hours per week)

• Engage in collaborative research in a manner consistent with disciplinary practice in the area of AI ocean forecasting, data assimilation, and reinforcement learning.
• Create scholarly impact in the discipline which is recognised by peers in the advancement of disciplinary knowledge.
• Conduct research/scholarly activities under limited supervision, either independently or as a member of a team (as per the norms of the discipline).
• Establish a personal research portfolio and start developing independent research proposals.
• Contribute to the development of applications for competitive funding under the guidance of senior colleagues.
• Participate as co-investigator or chief investigator in competitive grant applications, or show evidence of active participation in research collaborations funded by competitive grants.
• Design research projects for postgraduate students and junior postdoctoral researchers.
• Mentor and guide students and colleagues and develop the next generation of academics through involvement in supervision of HDRs (as per the norms of the discipline).
• Develop, train, validate, and implement novel generative artificial intelligence (genAI) ocean current forecasting systems for use in the maritime industry.
• Exploit new developments in generative data assimilation, diffusion modelling, flow matching, and reinforcement learning to refine and optimise the system for ship route optimisation under uncertain ocean conditions.
• Contribute to CounterCurrents R&D roadmap and AI product development strategy.
• Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values
• Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of yourself or others.

(Selection Criteria)

To Be Successful In This Role You Will Have

• A PhD in Climate Science, Oceanography, Computer Science, Data Science or a related discipline, and/or relevant work experience.
• Expertise with AWS CPU and GPU computing, cloud computing, AI model architecture, training, and validation, reinforcement learning, generative artificial intelligence, and data assimilation in an industry and/or academic setting.
• Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge and developments.
• Demonstrated track record in research with outcomes of high quality and high impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership.
• A track record of significant involvement with the profession and/or industry.
• High level communication skills and ability to network effectively and interact with a diverse range of students and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
• Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and organisational skills.
• An understanding of and commitment to UNSWs aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.
  You should provide a cover letter and systematically address the selection criteria listed within the position description in your application.
• For informal queries, please see the below contact details.
• Otherwise, please apply online - applications will not be accepted if sent directly to the contact listed.

Contact

Shane Keating

E: [HIDDEN TEXT]

Applications close: July 28th, 2026

Find Out More About Working At UNSW At Www.unsw.edu.au

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Position Description

Advertised: 30 Jun 2026 AUS Eastern Standard Time

Applications close: 28 Jul 2026 AUS Eastern Standard Time

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