Research Fellow

• 561968
• Canberra / ACT, ACT, Australia, 2601
• Fixed Term
• Closing at: May 7 2026 - 23:55 AEST

Position Description

Classification: Academic Level B

Salary package: $121,598 - $137,870 per annum plus 17% superannuation

Terms: Full time, Fixed term (up to 2 years)

ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society invites applications for a Research Fellow in quantitative plant community ecology. The post will be based in the research team of Professor Jane Catford and will contribute to research that aims to predict the biodiversity impact of plant invasion in a changing environment.

You will lead development and testing of new models, and a modelling approach, to predict the establishment and abundance of invading plant species in a site under a range of global change scenarios, and the resulting impact on plant community diversity. Core research for the Research Fellow will include: developing and empirically validating a multi-mechanism model of invasion impacts using experimental, observational and functional trait data; and generalising the model to predict current and future impacts of exotic plant invasions in global grasslands. Initial versions of the mechanistic model has been built and applied to experiments at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, one of the oldest Long-Term Ecological Research sites in the USA. The Research Fellow will have expertise in plant ecology and ecological modelling, with experience in grassland systems, invasion and global change ecology. You will interact with a wide range of international and domestic collaborators (including those that contribute case study data, e.g. NutNet and DRAGNet research consortia), help communicate research findings through peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations, support the organization of research workshops and support students involved in the project.

About the opportunity

This position is a fixed term for a period of two years and would ideally commence in 2027. The project is linked with the ARC Future Fellowship of Professor Jane Catford. The Research Fellow will be a key member of her Ecological Change research group.

Key responsibilities will include: building and testing multi-mechanism niche models of grassland plant community assembly under global change scenarios (model development, coding, parameterisation and validation); collection and use of experimental, observational and functional trait data; working with a wide range of data and collaborators, including practitioners; and a willingness and ability to work with a wide range of modelling approaches and tools, such as mechanistic niche modelling, dynamic range models, coupled niche-population models, agent based modelling, and GIS. There will opportunities for additional related research.

Applications are particularly invited from researchers who undertake high impact collaborative and cross-disciplinary research, and whose interests and expertise contribute to the activity cluster, School, and College.

About the School/Department

Fenner School of Environment and Society (FSES) is a world-leading centre for cross-disciplinary environmental and sustainability research, education and policy-relevant advice. Through cutting-edge research and insightful analysis, our academic experts create social, economic and environmental impact and deliver real-world solutions to address complex environmental challenges. FSES is housed at Frank Fenner Building, Forestry Building and Robertson Building. Our mission is to encourage sound environmental policy and governance outcomes that support sustainability.

About the College

As one of the great universities of the world, ANU is driven by a culture of excellence in everything we do. Our lived experience is increasingly one of large-scale systems of people, whose actions and interactions are influenced by our digital, physical and biological environment. The ANU College of Systems and Society (CSS) hosts many of the key disciplines necessary to help us design, build, regulate and secure the future.

CSS brings together expertise in social, technical, computational, ecological and scientific systems to build a new approach to systems design and build new national capabilities in data-driven policy and business development. The work we do in the College is to strengthen our national mission and meet our unique responsibilities as Australia’s national university. We will deliver on our mission by building a strong community, providing transformative educational experiences, conducting high-impact research, seeking meaningful engagement, and becoming a resilient organisation.

We welcome and openly acknowledge differences in expertise, research / education / professional focus, experience and perspective.

CSS is a vibrant and diverse community of more than three thousand students, staff, and visitors. Our College is comprised of the School of Computing, School of Cybernetics, School of Engineering, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Mathematical Sciences Institute, and the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, supported by the Professional Services Group.

To enquire about this role, please contact Professor Jane Catford, ARC Future Fellow, E; jane.catford@anu.edu.au.

Our commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity

ANU is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, and particularly welcomes applications from women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, it is practice in the ANU College of Systems and Society to actively seek a gender mix of shortlisted candidates for interview. For more information about staff equity at ANU, visit https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion

We welcome and develop diversity of backgrounds, experiences and ideas and encourage applications from individuals who may have had non-traditional career paths, who may have taken a career break, had career disruptions or who have achieved excellence in careers outside of the higher education sector. We support applicants who require flexible arrangements in their work environments or patterns. If your experience looks a little different to what we’ve described, but you’re passionate and motivated by this position, we welcome your enquiry and application.

For more information about staff equity at ANU, click here. For enquiries about the application process, or if you require reasonable adjustment to apply for this role, please contact the hiring manager on the above listed details.

What we offer

The ANU provides attractive benefits and excellent support to maintain a healthy work/life balance and offers generous remuneration benefits, including four weeks paid vacation per year, assistance with relocation expenses and 17% employer contribution to superannuation. We also offer generous parental leave, the possibility of flexible and part time working arrangements, a parental and aged care support program, dual career hire programs, staff and family tuition fee discounts, ANU school holiday programs, and childcare facilities on campus. For more information, visit: https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources

How to apply

Applicants must apply online via the ANU recruitment portal and should upload the following separate documents:

• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) including a full publication list and the names and contact details of at least three referees (preferably including a current or previous supervisor). If your CV does not include referees, you can complete these online when prompted in the application form.
• A 2-page statement addressing the selection criteria.
• A short statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service (up to half a page).
• (Optional for applicants) achievement relative to opportunity statement where appropriate
• Other documents, if required.

Applications that do not address the selection criteria may not be considered for the position.

Please note: The successful candidate will be required to undergo a background check during the recruitment process. An offer of employment is conditional on satisfactory results.