Creating a brighter future for all
Griffith University is a progressive, values-led university dedicated to learning, leadership, and innovation. This is your chance to help us achieve our vision to transform lives and add to human knowledge and understanding in a way that creates a future that benefits all.

Since opening in 1975, Griffith has grown from one campus and 451 students to become a comprehensive, multi-campus institution, with 50,000 students and more than 200,000 graduates.

The Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to work within the Centre’s Chemical Pollution theme. The Research Fellow will be responsible for developing and optimising non-target and suspect screening methodologies for the detection of novel chemicals in Antarctic media via both GC- and LC-HRAM-MS instrumentation. The research is associated with the project “Uncovering Antarctica’s Secret Chemical Voyagers for Expedited Regulation”, which is funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant. Specifically, this research will apply state-of-the-art chemical forensic approaches to expand knowledge regarding mobile and persistent Chemicals of Emerging Arctic/Antarctic Concern (CEACs).

The research is part of an international collaboration between Griffith University (Associate Professor Susan Bengtson Nash), the University of Queensland (Dr. Xianyu Wang), NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research (Dr. Pernilla Bohlin-Nizzetto, Dr. Pawel Rostkowski and Dr. Martin Schlabach), and Environment Canada (Dr. Derek Muir). The successful applicant will play a leading role in laboratory analyses and schedules, will mentor PhD students, and will prepare presentations for conferences and manuscripts for publication.

This is full-time, fixed term (3 years) position based at the Griffith University Nathan campus, Brisbane, Australia, but the candidate will be required to spend approximately six months at the NILU in Oslo area, Norway.

To be successful in this role, you will have a PhD in analytical (and/or environmental) chemistry, specialising in non-target and suspect screening with high or ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC- and/or LC- approaches). The successful candidate will also need to be able to spend up to 6 months at NILU’s laboratory in Kjeller (Oslo area), Norway and be able to pass a medical exam for Antarctic field travel.

In addition to the above, you will demonstrate:

• Capacity to develop and optimise chemical analytical methodologies, including sampling design, sample clean-up, and instrumental analysis.
• Experience with cheminformatics (either with a proprietary or open-source software, for example competency with R or Python data processing).
• A strong publication record.
• Evidence of a high level of English written and oral communication skills.
• An ability to work independently as well as within a team.
• Planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise multiple tasks and set and meet deadlines.

Experience with remote field work, and active and passive environmental sampling approaches is also desirable.

Salary Range
The base salary for a Research Fellow (Grade 1) is in the range $78,437 - $91,879 per annum, plus 17% employer superannuation. The total package is in the range $91,771 - $107,498 per annum.

How to Apply
Please submit your application online and ensure your application includes the following:

• A covering letter outlining your suitability for the role (please refer to the position description:  Research Fellow_PD)
• Current curriculum vitae/resume including full contact details
• Names and contact details of at least three professional referees (no contact will be made without your permission)

Note:  Application attachments should be saved as .doc, .docx or .pdf only.  File names should be no more than 25 characters long and should include letters and numbers only.

Visa sponsorship is possible for this appointment for candidates who do not hold valid Australian work rights.

What Griffith University Offers

• Flexible working options and genuine work-life balance
• Salary packaging options & corporate health discounts 
• Generous leave entitlements including paid parental leave

Griffith University values diversity, inclusion and flexibility and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and people of all backgrounds to apply. For more information please visit our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion page.

Griffith's strategic goals are to also increase the proportion of women in senior academic and administrative roles and in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).

Further Information
For further information specifically about this role, please contact Associate Professor Susan Bengtson-Nash via email:  [email protected]

For application support, please contact Theresa Burke, Talent Acquisition Partner on (07) 373 56549 or via email:  [email protected]

Closing date:  Friday, 18 November 2022 at 5:00pm AEST. All applications must be submitted online.