Embark on a career-defining journey with this PhD project. You’ll acquire the skills and networks necessary to secure positions in government, industry, or academia upon graduation. With the confidence to advance into diverse, rewarding leadership roles with excellent earning potential, you’ll be well-prepared for your future. 

The overall aim of this PhD project is to reduce populations of Oriental fruit fly in the Papua New Guinea Treaty Villages in order to improve local food security in the Treaty Villages and reduce the risk of Oriental fruit fly incursion into Torres Strait and mainland Australia. 

You will be based in Cairns, Queensland, at James Cook University, and will work closely with scientists at the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry office in Cairns. During the project, you'll assess the suitability and efficacy of a combination of existing fruit fly management techniques for use in the Papua New Guinea Treaty Villages by conducting an initial pre-trial in the Cairns region and subsequently an in-country trial in select Treaty Villages. This will involve travel to Papua New Guinea. 

Benefits and career pathway

This project will build your technical skills and professional networks that equips you for a career as a leader in biosecurity. We will provide a range of training opportunities including leadership, cultural awareness and communication. These are the skills your future employers are looking for. Here at the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity, we know our partners are experiencing a shortage in PhD qualified employees, and while we can’t guarantee you a job, we can see a lot of great jobs out there and we’re committed to providing you with the networks, skills and knowledge you need to land a job you love.

During your PhD you’ll receive a $40,000 tax-free stipend a year for 3.5 years (that’s $1500 a fortnight), and we’ll cover your travel costs to Training Retreats, Centre Forums and conferences. This will include networking with like-minded people in the bush outside Canberra, the beaches of tropical Queensland, and in capital cities around Australia.

About you

You’ll have experience in plant health or entomology or a related field, and ideally the ability to design and conduct field experiments, statistically analyse biological data, and communicate results in written and oral formats.

You’ll have either Honours (First Class or 2A) or a Masters by Research or an equivalent level of research experience gained from employment. 

This project is seeking Australian citizens or citizens of Papua New Guinea. You will need the ability to obtain a passport and travel visa for Papua New Guinea, and to undergo police check. 

We encourage applications from peoples of all abilities, identities and backgrounds. We acknowledge the importance of First Nations peoples continued caring for country and welcome applications from Indigenous Australians. We also recognise that people often experience breaks or different pathways in their studies and/or careers. If there are circumstances you believe we should be aware of, please include a statement and we will take it into consideration when evaluating your application.

Start date

We would like a student to start in November or December 2024, but have some flexibility to accept a student starting in 2025.