Are you passionate about freshwater conservation and innovative engineering? Join our multidisciplinary research team at UNSW Sydney to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in aquatic ecosystem restoration.

Rivers worldwide are fragmented by barriers, such as weirs, dams, and culverts, that block fish migration and cause injury to passing species. Despite significant conservation investment, many existing solutions fall short. We're developing the next generation of evidence-based designs to reconnect freshwater ecosystems.

Your Research

You'll work at the intersection of hydraulic engineering and aquatic ecology, with access to world-class facilities at the Water Research Laboratory (WRL) including:

• Fish husbandry and behavioural testing labs
• Hydraulic physical modelling facilities
• Specialised fieldwork equipment with dedicated technical support

Project areas include:

• Designing and trialling innovative pipe fishways in the field
• Improving fish attraction into fishways through behavioural experiments
• Investigating hydrodynamic stressors to reduce fish injury
• Developing sensor systems using AI and camera-tracking

Your work will combine fieldwork across Australian rivers with laboratory experiments in hydraulic modelling and/or live fish trials. You'll collaborate with diverse partners including local councils, NSW and interstate government agencies, asset owners, and Traditional Owners.

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• Background in engineering, ecology, animal science, or fisheries
• First Class Honours, MSc, or equivalent research experience
• Eligible for RTP stipend (Australian permanent resident/citizen or New Zealand citizen)

Desirable:

• Experience with fieldwork, hydraulic modelling, or fish biology
• Strong motivation for applied conservation research

What We Offer

• Tax-exempt RTP stipend
• Top-up scholarship for additional financial support
• All project expenses covered
• Support for domestic/international conference attendance
• Supervision from a world-class multidisciplinary team
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities at WRL and the Centre for Ecosystem Science (CES)

Supervisory and research team: Associate Professor Stefan Felder, Professor Iain Suthers, Professor Richard Kingsford, and Dr Jasmin Martino.