"Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer"

Job Description:

• School of Chemical Engineering – Faculty of EAIT
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months
• Base salary will be in the range $82,057.75 - $109,246.18 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position
• Based at our UQ Long Pocket location

About This Opportunity

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer within the Pyrometallurgy Innovation Laboratory who will be responsible for undertaking high temperature experimental studies of metallurgical systems as well as undertaking fundamental and applied research with a dynamic team at the cutting edge of modern primary and secondary/recycling pyrometallurgy.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: Experimental and thermodynamic research in high-temperature metallurgical systems, including phase equilibria, kinetics, and microanalysis. It involves managing projects, reporting to funders, publishing and presenting research, supporting student and staff development, contributing to funding applications and collaborations, and advancing knowledge transfer while building a coherent research profile using best-practice methodologies.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Supervising research students, supporting researcher development, managing research staff, and addressing conflicts in line with university policies.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate citizenship aligned with UQ values through collaboration, service to the unit, support for colleagues, and the development of internal, external, and industry partnerships.
• Teaching: You will support the development of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, contributes to teaching and professional courses as required, and maintains high teaching quality through continuous improvement.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

About You

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in the Pyrometallurgical Engineering or related field of Science or Engineering (including but not limited to Materials, Geology, Ceramics, Physics, Inorganic Chemistry)
• An emerging profile in research in the Pyrometallurgical Engineering or related field of Science or Engineering (including but not limited to Materials, Geology, Ceramics, Physics, Inorganic Chemistry)
• Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences.
• Evidence of contributions towards successfully obtaining external research funding.
• Some experience in meaningful internal service roles and contributions towards external activities.

Desirable:

• Demonstrated knowledge in chemical thermodynamics, high temperature phase equilibrium and high temperature heterogeneous kinetics.
• Demonstrated skills in the development, independent design, planning, technical management and successful execution of research projects.
• Knowledge of extractive metallurgy and pyrometallurgical processes.
• Experience of working in or with the minerals/metallurgical industry.
• Experience in reporting research at conferences and publishing papers on journals.

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications, criminal history checks, and other role-specific requirements such as mandatory immunisations checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

Work Rights?

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.

Questions?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Prof Evgueni Jak via e.jak@uq.edu.au.

For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

Want to Apply?

We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Responses to the ‘About You’ section

Other Information

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who do not meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

Applications close on Sunday, 1 February 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-59769).