Job description:

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation.

Role highlights

• Contribute to cutting-edge research in animal health, productivity & welfare
• Diverse, field-to-lab experience at CSIRO's Chiswick Research Station
• Join a passionate team advancing Australia's livestock research

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity

The CSIRO Traits (Health & Resilience) team is seeking a Research Project Officer to join our team based in Armidale, NSW. This position supports ongoing research at the Chiswick Research Facility, contributing to projects that advance understanding of animal health, productivity, and welfare.

In this role, you will carry out a range of animal, laboratory, and data-focused activities, including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of research data related to animal health, performance, and behaviour. You will also assist with the day-to-day management, husbandry, and welfare of livestock involved in experimental work.

The successful candidate will take part in experimental activities such as sample collection and measurement of animal traits (e.g. health indicators, body weight, movement patterns, behaviour) and will conduct laboratory analyses of collected samples as required. Some travel to regional research sites across Australia may be necessary to support data collection and fieldwork.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Take responsibility for general laboratory and field duties, including general maintenance of equipment such as computers, scales, pasture evaluation equipment, pens, sheep handler, cattle yards, weight scales etc; Collect, process and store biological samples from livestock using approved methods.
• Care and maintenance of experimental livestock, including monitoring and experimental treatment, and use of digital technologies and monitoring systems.
• Accurately record field data onto approved recording systems and computers, and transfer data to the livestock database in a timely manner.
• Participate in conducting laboratory analyses (e.g. microscopy techniques, basic wet chemistry analysis, molecular techniques, data retrieval and analysis, video annotation).
• Under limited supervision, perform straightforward experiments and routine laboratory analyses, adapt existing techniques and components to meet special circumstances or undertake modifications to methods requiring some innovation.
• Conduct investigations and inspections in the field or laboratory including associated data collation and management.
• Work on a number of parallel and competing tasks, possibly reporting to project leaders on different sites.
• Work with others to co-ordinate operations within the work team's plan and plan ahead to meet experimental and/or project demands.

Role particulars

Location: Chiswick Research Station, Armidale, NSW

Salary: AU$76k - AU$96k per annum (pro-rata for part-time) + 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified term of 3 years, Full-time

Reference: 101446

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

Essential criteria

• Relevant trade certificate/diploma/bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant work experience in animal science, agricultural science, laboratory science, or related field.
• Ability in, or willingness to learn, livestock handling, care and experimentation procedures such as blood, tissue, faecal, wool, weight sampling; assessment/measurement of physical traits; data collection according to prescribed methods, basic laboratory techniques such as appropriate notebook recording, pipetting and centrifuge operation.
• Diligence and attention to detail that can be applied to livestock management, welfare and experimental data recording.
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to work independently and as an effective team member as the situation requires.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple potentially conflicting priorities.
• Demonstrated abilities in sheep and/or cattle husbandry and management under grazing conditions and a passion for improving the livelihood of farmers and the future of livestock farming.
• A current driver's licence.

For full details about this role, and other criteria, please review the Position Description.

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don't let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact Laura Mason via [email protected] and let us know how we can support you.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens and Australian Permanent Residents. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

How to apply

Please apply online and submit a CV and cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the selection criteria of this role.

Applications close

20 November 2025, 11:00pm AEDT

We offer:

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.