• Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR)
• Full-time, fixed-term position for three years
• Base salary will be in the range $82,057- $109,246 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)
• Based at our Long Pocket location

About This Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to contribute to the development of the AURIN UQ-node URBANiQ at The University of Queensland (UQ) and harness urban data for health equity research. Based at the Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), you will play a key role in advancing UQ's contribution to the AURIN network by driving innovative approaches to the use and analysis of large-scale urban mobility data.

As an emerging specialist in urban data analytics, you will collaborate closely with the URBANiQ director and data scientists at AURIN HQ (University of Melbourne) to explore how spatial and mobility data can inform equitable health policy solutions. This role provides an exceptional opportunity to contribute to impactful research that supports sustainable, healthy, and inclusive cities.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: Produce high-quality research outputs analysing urban mobility, environmental, and socio-demographic data; review and apply best-practice research methodologies in spatial data science; contribute to research funding applications; and communicate findings through reports, dashboards, and publications.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Support the supervision of Higher Degree by Research and undergraduate students, where relevant, contributing to the development of the next generation of researchers.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate UQ's values through collaboration, collegiality, and leadership of self. Contribute to internal service roles, administrative processes, and engagement with external partners in government, industry, and the community.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ's Criteria for Academic Performance.

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.

At the core of our teaching remains our students, and their experience with us sets a foundation for success far beyond graduation. UQ has made a commitment to making education opportunities available for all Queenslanders, regardless of personal, financial, or geographical barriers.

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 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements including hybrid on site/WFH options and flexible start/finish times, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

About You

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in GIS, urban studies, urban data analytics, human geography, spatial epidemiology, or a related field.
• Experience working with and obtaining secondary spatial data, including spatial data linkage to environmental, socio-demographic, or health datasets.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the use and application of mobile phone or urban mobility data.
• Advanced expertise in GIS and statistical tools or packages, such as R, ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, or STATA.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A developing track record of publications in high-quality journals and conference presentations.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• (Desirable) Evidence of engagement with policy makers or the production of data visualisation outputs is advantageous.

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

Questions?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Jonathan Olsen, [email protected]

For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at [email protected], stating the job reference number (R-56806) in the subject line.

Want to Apply?

We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Responses to the 'About You' section

Our strength as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact [email protected].

Other Information

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don't meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

Applications close Monday, 3 November 2025 at 11.00pm AEST (R-56806).

Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for mid-November.