Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer in Wastewater modelling

School of Chemical Engineering – Faculty of EAIT

Full-time, fixed-term position for up to three years

Base salary will be in the range $82,057 - $109,246 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)

Based at our St Lucia Campus - Brisbane

About This Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer in wastewater modelling to work with senior researchers and industry leaders to develop advanced models to solve process emission issues. This position is for up to three years in the UQ School of Chemical Engineering funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Project “Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater systems”. The project involves 5 Chief investigators, 6 partner investigators and 14 research partners.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: 

• Research: Undertake the development and application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), data-driven and mechanistic models for wastewater treatment processes, investigate liquid-gas transfer of GHG emissions, design and conduct full-scale field sampling campaigns at partner utility sites, perform advanced data analysis using Python and other relevant tools, produce high-quality publications, contribute to research translation and engagement, assist with project reports and milestone deliverables, and participate in competitive research funding application.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Contribute to the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students, demonstrate personal effectiveness in researcher development, and, where appropriate, manage research support staff in accordance with University policies and procedures.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate citizenship behaviours aligned with UQ values and self-leadership through collaboration and team participation, provide support to academic colleagues during absences while contributing to internal service roles and administrative processes, and begin developing external links by building relationships with industry, government, professional bodies, and the broader community
• Teaching: Participate in undergraduate or postgraduate teaching when required, ensuring high teaching quality through positive survey results and student outcomes, while continuously improving or innovating based on feedback.

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

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.

At the core of our teaching remains our students, and their experience with us sets a foundation for success far beyond graduation. UQ has made a commitment to making education opportunities available for all Queenslanders, regardless of personal, financial, or geographical barriers.

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 including hybrid on site/WFH options and flexible start/finish times, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

About You

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in chemical engineering, environmental engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Strong scientific knowledge in Urban wastewater processes and fugitive greenhouse gas emissions.
• Strong expertise in different modelling skills, including but not limited to computational fluid dynamics (CFD), mechanistic modelling and data-driven of biological wastewater treatment systems.
• In-depth understanding of liquid-gas transfer of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment systems.
• Experience with full-scale wastewater treatment plant sampling.
• Ability to generate high-impact research publications.
• Ability to perform in-depth and critical data analysis using Python and or related tools
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, particularly covering biological and chemical sciences and process engineering.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the industry and scientific community.
• Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presentations at conferences.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.

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

Relocating from interstate or overseas? We may support you with obtaining employer-sponsored work rights and a relocation support package. You can find out more about life in Australia’s Sunshine State here.

Questions?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor Liu Ye at l.ye@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'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 Friday, 7 November 2025 at 11.00pm AEST (R-56803).