"Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer in Fire Safety of Facades"

• School of Civil Engineering – Faculty of EAIT
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months
• Base salary will be in the range $83,698.91 - $111,431.10 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position
• Based at our St Lucia Campus - Brisbane

About This Opportunity

We are seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer to contribute to a major externally funded research program on the fire safety engineering of building facades and external wall systems.

In this role, you will advance engineering-based approaches to facade fire safety design by developing testing and assessment methodologies that generate fundamental data to support new engineering design methods. You will also contribute to the development of the project’s research framework and support the supervision of PhD students working on experimental and engineering methodologies. If you have a background in the areas of cladding, timber, structural fire engineering and battery fire safety; and include research on flammability, consequence analysis, design, and structural fire engineering, we also encouraged you to apply.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: Lead research on the fire safety engineering of building facades, focusing on integrating facade fire performance into building fire safety strategies. The role includes identifying material and system performance data needed to assess external wall systems, developing experimental methods to analyse façade behaviour in fire, and contributing to engineering-based design approaches. The position involves producing high-quality research outputs, supporting competitive research funding applications, and collaborating on joint research projects. Responsibilities also include laboratory-based experimental work, data analysis, equipment operation, and contributing to research, teaching, and engagement activities within the Fire Safety Engineering group.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Contribute to the supervision and development of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students through effective guidance and feedback. Support a positive research environment, assist with managing research support staff where appropriate, and help resolve issues in line with University policies.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate professional citizenship through collaboration and participation in unit activities. Contribute to service and administrative processes, support colleagues as needed, and begin developing partnerships with industry, government, and professional bodies.

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 Fire Safety Engineering area.
• An emerging profile in research in the Fire Safety Engineering area.
• 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.

In support of our Indigenous employment strategy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. We value lived experience, community connection and diverse career pathways.

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 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 Associate Professor David Lange via d.lange@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

Our strength as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We are dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We are committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent, particularly from Australia’s First Nations Peoples. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact talent@uq.edu.au.

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 Monday, 30 March 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-62125).