The Conservation Science Research Group (CSRG) at the University of Newcastle is seeking an exceptional candidate for a new PhD project focused on optimizing acoustic monitoring methods across Australia’s Commonwealth National Parks. This unique opportunity allows for applied research that can significantly influence environmental management across ecologically and culturally significant landscapes.

Scholarship and financial support:

• An Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship valued at $37,080/yr (from 2025, indexed annually and tax-exempt) for 3.5 years, available to Australian citizens and permanent residents, as well as New Zealand citizens.
• A top-up scholarship of $10,000/yr (tax exempt), contingent on academic performance.
• A one-time fund of $15,000 to cover project-related costs, including travel.

About the project:

While acoustic monitoring has become a standard supplement to traditional wildlife monitoring, questions remain on how to best deploy acoustic monitoring across different landscapes and management applications, and about how the technology might be developed to answer a wider set of ecological questions. This project will utilize acoustic data from a set of diverse biomes to address specific monitoring needs at each location, while also extracting general insights to guide best practices for audio monitoring across Australia. There is scope for the successful candidate to help guide the research direction throughout the life of the project. Potential focal landscapes include:

1. Uluṟu Kata-Tjuṯa National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site of ecological and cultural importance, located in the arid heart of the Australian continent.
2. Norfolk Island National Park, located approximately 1000km off the eastern coast of Australia, between New Zealand and New Caledonia. The islands in the Norfolk Island Group have a humid subtropical climate and their isolation has given rise to a large number of endemic flora and fauna.
3. Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Australia’s largest national parks. Situated in the wet tropics, it contains RAMSAR wetlands, seasonal floodplains, wooded savanna and rocky escarpments.

The successful candidate will be part of the Resilient Landscapes Hub under the National Environmental Science Program (NESP). The candidate will collaborate within a multidisciplinary team that includes researchers from the host institution (University of Newcastle) as well as Queensland University of Technology, Parks Australia and other partners.

About you:

• A high level of academic merit consistent with RTP stipend scholarship requirements.
• A research background in Ecology, Environmental Science or similar field.
• Willingness and ability to conduct remote fieldwork.
• Ability to work independently with a high level of initiative.
• An interest in tailoring research to practical conservation management questions and working collaborative with land managers
• Interest in working closely and respectfully with Indigenous people, and willingness to actively participate in collaborative cross-cultural research.

Benefits to you:

• Generous stipend and support for project costs.
• Opportunity to work and travel to remote and spectacular regions across Australia.
• Extensive training in statistical modelling, wildlife monitoring design, machine learning and conservation biology more generally.
• Insights into conservation management, including joint management with Indigenous Traditional Owners
• An opportunity to develop skills in building partnerships and stakeholder liaison, working closely with land management organisations.
• Play an integral role in a highly collaborative multidisciplinary research team.
• Contribute to research with real-world impact, by helping to improve land management practices.
• Access to Student Support Services and training opportunities.
• A supportive environment with an established research partnerships and a strong supervisory team with complementary skills to help you realise your full potential.

Selection Criteria:

• First or Second Class Honours, MSc or equivalent in environmental science, statistics, computer sciences or similar field.
• Prior experience in ecological monitoring, fieldwork and/or programming (e.g. R), or a willingness to learn.
• Demonstrated experience undertaking remote fieldwork beneficial.
• Demonstrated experience coding in either R or Python beneficial.
• Cultural sensitivity and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Must meet the RTP stipend requirements, including being either an Australian permanent resident or citizen, or a New Zealand citizen, with intention to be a domestic student.

Note: the successful candidate will need to be successful in applying for either a Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship, or University of Newcastle equivalent.

Commencement date: Early 2025

About the research environment: The Conservation Science Research Group at The University of Newcastle consists of a large team (30+) of internationally recognised experts in biodiversity conservation with project experience in the natural environment and biodiversity; environmental monitoring, restoration ecology, behavioural ecology and cognition, instrumentation and analysis; marine pollution impacts; and sustainable adaptation in agriculture and forestry.

Supervisory Team: The supervisory team will include Dr Adam Smart (UoN), Dr Darren Southwell (UoN), Prof Paul Roe (QUT), Dr Finella Dawlings (UoN) and a member from Parks Australia.

Equity, Diversity and inclusion: The University of Newcastle are committed to widening participation, promoting diversity and fairness, overcoming injustice and increased success for all. This commitment is fundamental to how we teach and research, how we work with industry partners and local communities, and how we engage with our staff and students.