About this Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for an emerging researcher to contribute to world-class coastal engineering research within the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Queensland. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will undertake advanced research in coastal morphodynamics, drawing on a unique three-decade dataset from the Tweed Sand Bypassing Project to develop, test and operationalise coastal models and AI/ML forecasting tools. Working within a highly collaborative and inclusive research environment, the role offers exposure to globally recognised academics, strong government and industry partnerships, and a supportive platform for launching an international academic career.

Key responsibilities include:

• Conducting high-quality research in coastal morphodynamics, including data processing, model development and AI/ML-enabled forecasting.
• Publishing research outcomes in high-quality peer-reviewed journals and contributing to external funding applications.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary academic, government and industry partners, including periods of co-location with partners.
• Contributing to teaching activities, supervision of Honours and HDR students, and academic citizenship aligned with UQ values.

This is a Research position.

The role contributes across the following academic domains:

• Teaching: Tutoring and laboratory supervision in undergraduate coursework, with opportunities to contribute to lectures as part of professional development.
• Research: Development of morphodynamic and predictive models, scholarly publication, and contribution to externally funded research programs.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Support for Honours and HDR supervision and collaborative research development.
• Citizenship and Service: Participation in internal service, committees, and the development of external partnerships with industry, government and the wider community.

About you

You will bring strong technical capability, intellectual curiosity and a collaborative mindset, along with:

• Completion of a PhD in Coastal Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated research expertise in coastal modelling, including coastal morphology.
• An emerging research profile with evidence of publications in reputable peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
• Experience in the collection, processing and analysis of coastal datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams.
• High-level written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with academic, industry and government stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a research environment.

About the School of Civil Engineering

The School of Civil Engineering is one of Australia’s largest and most diverse civil engineering schools, delivering internationally recognised teaching and research across coastal, water, environmental, structural, geotechnical and transport engineering. Located in the Advanced Engineering Building, the School is known for its collaborative culture, global outlook and strong industry engagement.

Our people are inquisitive, ambitious and deeply committed to making positive and meaningful societal contributions. We value diversity, inclusion and mutual respect, and actively support the career development of early-career researchers, including women in engineering.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, and within an environment where interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged. As part of our commitment to excellence in research and professional practice in academic contexts, we are proud to provide our staff with access to world-class facilities and equipment, grant writing support, greater research funding opportunities, and other forms of staff support and development. 

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad: from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.  

Interested?

For further information about this opportunity, please contact: Associate Professor Dave Callaghan via email dave.callaghan@uq.edu.au

For application enquiries, please contact talent@uq.edu.au quoting the job reference number.

To be considered, please submit the following via the UQ Careers portal:

• A cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section.
• Your curriculum vitae

Other Information

Pre-employment checks may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications check. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.  

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.  

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criterion but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing talent@uq.edu.au or calling +61 7 3365 2623. 

Applications close Thursday 4 June 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-64118).

School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Full-time (100%), Fixed term to 31 March 2029
Base salary will be in the range $83,698 to $111,431 + 17% super (Academic Level A)
Based at our St Lucia Campus