About AIMS

The Australian Institute of Marine Science is Australia’s tropical marine research agency.

We are a trusted advisor, a partner and employer of choice, and we value integrity, innovation, collaboration and respect. AIMS’ research of Australia’s tropical marine ecosystems guides their effective environmental management and contributes to our understanding of similar ecosystems around the world.

Our research seeks to deliver practical benefit to all Australians and supports the sustainable use of our tropical marine estate. Governments, reef managers, industry and the wider community look to our high-quality, long-term research for informed decisions about our iconic Great Barrier Reef, North-West Shelf, and Arafura and Timor Seas. AIMS expert teams at our locations in Townsville, Darwin and Perth have access to world-class infrastructure, unique datasets, cutting-edge laboratories, and a fleet of modern research vessels.

About this exciting opportunity

Decision Support is a priority area of science delivery at AIMS, this amounts to solution science, which is a strategic growth priority for AIMS. This position support this growing area and assist in furthering AIMS’ operational decision support capabilities. The successful candidate will assist with the development and implementation of advanced quantitative approaches to integrated socio-environmental modelling and decision support under deeply uncertain future conditions through a scenario analysis lens. A critical focus for these positions will be to assist in the development, implementation and integration of performance metrics, enhancements to modelling and modelling processes, integration of models (focused on marine ecosystems primary) and/or modelling platforms and ensuring documentation of these activities. The position contributes to cross-disciplinary model integration and ensures outputs are fit for use in decision environments, supporting long-term delivery and implementation of science-based conservation solutions.

Working closely with an interdisciplinary team of environmental modellers and decision support experts who are working to deliver a range of capabilities and operational tools and models to support quantitative scenario analysis and robust decision making, you will:

• Carry out programming and data analysis for model development and integration, principally in Julia and R, but may also involve a variety of programming languages such as Python, MATLAB and C++,
• Develop and maintaining models to represent critical ecosystem processes and integrating these to support integrated modelling activities,
• Assist in further development of models to enable their dynamic interoperation across cross-cutting concerns/contexts,
• Contributing to the preparation of manuscripts, including documentation, presentations, reports and journal articles, and
• As necessary assist in project management and providing guidance to students and early career researchers.

About you

You will hold a PhD in environmental science, computer science, physics, mathematics or related field, which is supported by your experience in environmental/ecosystem modelling, in particular in decision support contexts. Your experience will be in programming in scientific contexts, with proven experience in the integration of models across socio-environmental boundaries and domains. You will be comfortable with mathematical modelling, application of GIS and remote sensing concepts and spatial optimisation.

Your experience in the scientific field will ensure that you have a high level of academic achievement, having produced a number of high-quality publications and other forms of research outputs. And you will have well developed interpersonal skills which enable you to deliver high level professional services within the scientific research environment. Previous experience with spatial data analysis, developing open-source software for scientific research applications, a keen interest in furthering skills in scientific software development, and experience with mechanistic ecological modelling would be highly desirable.

Apply now and join a world leading organisation with attractive working conditions. In line with our Enterprise Agreement, the successful candidate will be rewarded with:

• AIMS AOF Level 4 salary (Bands 2 to 5) ($100,862 to $110,957 per annum) plus15.4% superannuation
• Full-time, Temporary (Labour hire) opportunity to 31 March 2027
• Located in Townsville (Qld)
• 9-day fortnight, enjoy a long weekend each fortnight
• Flexible Work Arrangements considered including hybrid working (where suitable)
• Generous and supportive leave entitlements
• Access to Commuter car fleet arrangements to travel to site (in Townsville only)
• Employee Assistance Program

Discover more about Working at AIMS | AIMS.

Please note:

Non-Australian Citizens must hold an appropriate Visa with working entitlements that allows paid employment with AIMS from commencement and for the full term of the appointment, depending on the relevant Department of Home Affairs current policies.

Next Step

Further information about this exciting and challenging opportunity is outlined in the Candidate Information Pack which is available to download from our website www.aims.gov.au. If, after reviewing the position description and selection criteria included in the Candidate Information Pack, you believe that your qualifications, experience and professional capabilities will enable you to successfully the deliver the position responsibilities, we encourage you to make an application via our website.

Submitting your Application: Please ensure that you have your completed documents (selection criteria responses, resume and cover letter) ready to attach to your online application form via our e-recruitment system which can be accessed via our website www.aims.gov.au.

Position enquiries are to be directed to Takuya Iwanaga, Senior Research Scientist - Environmental Decision Science at [email protected]. Applications must be made through our website per above.

Applications close: WEDNESDAY, 23 JULY 2025 (11.45PM, AEST).

AIMS acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's first scientists. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past, present and future, and the custodians of the land and sea Country on which we work.