"Senior Research Assistant"

Job Description:

• Sustainable Minerals Institute
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months
• Base salary will be in the range $93,491.78 - $100,296.98 + 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6)
• Based at our St Lucia Campus and the University Mine - Indooroopilly.

About This Opportunity

We’re seeking a Senior Research Assistant to play a key role in advancing the Dust and Respiratory Health Program. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your expertise in occupational hygiene, mining, mineralogy, microscopy, occupational health, or related disciplines to research that makes a difference.

As part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team, you’ll provide specialist technical and research expertise across the entire research life cycle—helping deliver high-quality outcomes in a rapidly expanding field with significant growth potential.

If you’re experienced, motivated, and ready to contribute to research that improves health and safety, we’d love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities will include:

• Conduct fieldwork at participating mine sites, including collection and management of paired respirable and inhalable dust samples and real-time monitoring data.
• Liaise professionally with mine site personnel, contractors, and equipment operators to support safe and efficient field activities.
• Assist with laboratory-based chamber experiments and comparison trials.
• Ensure data quality control, maintain laboratory and field records, and comply with all UQ and site-specific safety requirements.
• Compile, clean, and manage large datasets from microscopy and real-time monitoring, performing trend and statistical analyses where required.
• Contribute to technical reporting, fact sheets, publications, and conference materials, communicating effectively with project partners and stakeholders.
• Travel to regional and remote locations as required for fieldwork; a valid driver’s licence is essential.

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.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave/paid primary care leave
• 17% superannuation contributions + 17.5% annual leave loading
• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times and purchased leave
• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family
• Career development opportunities –access to exclusive internal-only vacancies and our Study for Staff program
• On campus childcare options
• Affordable parking (from just $6.40 a day)
• Salary packaging options

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, occupational hygiene, engineering, chemistry, geology or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated experience in industrial, mining, or environmental settings.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage confidently with mine site personnel and industry partners.
• Proven ability to collect, manage, and analyse scientific or technical data with attention to detail and accuracy. Scientific laboratory experience desirable.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team.
• Current driver’s licence and willingness to travel to regional and remote locations for fieldwork.

The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia.

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 Dr Nikky LaBranche at n.labranche@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
• A cover letter summarising how your background aligns with the 'About You' section

Our strength as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. 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 don’t 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 Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 11:00pm AEST (R-58634). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for the week commencing Monday 12 January 2026.