Senior Research Associate - Job no: 540823
This is a regular Job Posting
Employer: The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Office Address: Sydney, New South Wales (NSW)
Job Type: Full-time (On-Site)
Industry & Field: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Computer Science, Physics
Salary: Yearly Salary: US Dollar (USD) 127,000 to 150,000
Refresh Date: Jun. 30, 2026
Expiration Date: Aug. 30, 2026
This Job is based in Australia
Senior Research Associate
Apply now Job no: 540823
Work type: Full Time
Location: Sydney, NSW
Categories: Senior Research Associate
One of Australia’s leading research & teaching universities
Vibrant campus life with a strong sense of community & inclusion
Enjoy a career that makes a difference by collaborating & learning from the best
At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work.
THIS ROLE IS LOCATED IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) is expected to carry out collaborative research in the field of Data Science and Climate Science and to carry out activities to develop their research expertise relevant to their particular field of research.
The Senior Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Fellow (Level B) will develop cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (genAI) ocean current forecasting and ship route optimization systems as part of the project “Ocean forecasting for decarbonising Australia's Scope 3 transport supply chain emissions”, which is funded by the Trailblazer for Renewables and Clean Energy (TRaCE) and industry partner, CounterCurrent Pty Ltd.
The project builds upon the prototype ship route optimization algorithm invented by Associate Professor Shane Keating (UNSW), which is being commercialized by CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, a UNSW spinout company founded by A/Prof Keating.
This project is a joint collaborative research project between UNSW and CounterCurrent Pty Ltd, leveraging the commercial and industry expertise of the Partner and the deep domain knowledge in artificial intelligence and data science at UNSW.
About The Role
Level B - $127K - $150K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
Fixed term – Approx. 9 months (to 31st March 2027)
Full-time (35 hours per week)
Specific Responsibilities For This Role Include
Engage in collaborative research in a manner consistent with disciplinary practice in the area of AI ocean forecasting, data assimilation, and reinforcement learning.
Create scholarly impact in the discipline which is recognised by peers in the advancement of disciplinary knowledge.
Conduct research/scholarly activities under limited supervision, either independently or as a member of a team (as per the norms of the discipline).
Establish a personal research portfolio and start developing independent research proposals.
Contribute to the development of applications for competitive funding under the guidance of senior colleagues.
Participate as co-investigator or chief investigator in competitive grant applications, or show evidence of active participation in research collaborations funded by competitive grants.
Design research projects for postgraduate students and junior postdoctoral researchers.
Mentor and guide students and colleagues and develop the next generation of academics through involvement in supervision of HDRs (as per the norms of the discipline).
Develop, train, validate, and implement novel generative artificial intelligence (genAI) ocean current forecasting systems for use in the maritime industry.
Exploit new developments in generative data assimilation, diffusion modelling, flow matching, and reinforcement learning to refine and optimise the system for ship route optimisation under uncertain ocean conditions.
Contribute to CounterCurrent’s R&D roadmap and AI product development strategy.
Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values
Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of yourself or others.
You should provide a cover letter and systematically address the selection criteria listed within the position description in your application.
For informal queries, please see the below contact details.
Otherwise, please apply online - applications will not be accepted if sent directly to the contact listed.
Contact:
Shane Keating
E:
Applications close: July 28th, 2026
Find Out More About Working At UNSW At Www.unsw.edu.au
UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.
Position Description
Advertised: 30 Jun 2026 AUS Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: 28 Jul 2026 AUS Eastern Standard Time
Back to search results Apply now Refer a friend
Whatsapp Facebook LinkedIn Email App
Qualifications & Requirements:
About The Successful Applicant
(Selection Criteria)
To Be Successful In This Role You Will Have
A PhD in Climate Science, Oceanography, Computer Science, Data Science or a related discipline, and/or relevant work experience.
Expertise with AWS CPU and GPU computing, cloud computing, AI model architecture, training, and validation, reinforcement learning, generative artificial intelligence, and data assimilation in an industry and/or academic setting.
Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge and developments.
Demonstrated track record in research with outcomes of high quality and high impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership.
A track record of significant involvement with the profession and/or industry.
High level communication skills and ability to network effectively and interact with a diverse range of students and staff.
Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and organisational skills.
An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.
About The Role
Level B - $127K - $150K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
Fixed term – Approx. 9 months (to 31st March 2027)
Full-time (35 hours per week)
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is one of Australia's leading research and teaching universities.
Established in 1949, UNSW has expanded rapidly and now has more than 52,000 students, including more than 14,000 international students from over 130 different countries. UNSW offers more than 300 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate programs, and has developed an extensive network of alumni chapters throughout Asia.
UNSW is a founding member of the prestigious Group of Eight research intensive universities in Australia and a member of the Universitas 21 international consortium.
The main UNSW campus is located on a 38-hectare site at Kensington, in Sydney. Other campuses are UNSW Art and Design (Paddington), UNSW Canberra (Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra), and sub-campuses at Randwick and Coogee, as well as research stations around NSW.
We believe in academic freedom, so posts do not necessarily represent official UNSW views. Read our Social Media Terms of Service at www.unsw.to/sm
CRICOS Provider no. 00098G
facebook.com/unsw
twitter.com/unsw
instagram.com/unsw
youtube.com/unsw
Website
http://www.unsw.edu.au/
After registering, you can apply for this position.
In order to be more efficient for both employer and jobseeker, please login your Jobseeker account or register now.
Important: Make sure you've finished all the required items(*), otherwise you won't be able to apply for the job position.