Electrochemist/Electrochemical Research Engineer

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.

The opportunity

• ​​​​​​Apply your expertise in electrochemical sciences on industry-supported projects
• Join a multi-disciplinary team focused on improving electrochemical technology for hydrogen applications
• Grow your career with our supportive team at CSIRO – Australia’s National Science Agency!

We are currently seeking a motivated and talented Electrochemist/Electrochemical Research Engineer, with practical knowledge of electrochemical sciences and an interest to advance their skillset through exciting R&D projects, to join our team and it might be the next career step you’re looking for!

Our talented ‘Electrolysis’ Team in CSIRO Mineral Resources business unit has been developing an electrochemical cell to improve electrochemical processing, and it is currently being explored for hydrogen production, storage and transport. While hydrogen is considered as an important energy source of the future, it is difficult to generate and store in a commercially sensible manner. Therefore, our research teams at CSIRO are working hard to address this, and develop new technologies that are safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible.

In this hands-on role, you will apply your skills and experience to conduct innovative research to optimise the proprietary electrochemical technology for hydrogen applications. Joining our multi-disciplinary team comprised of electrochemists, synthetic chemists, modellers and engineers, you will play a key role in assisting efficient project delivery and working with a client to ensure delivery of a commercially acceptable technology.

If you are motivated by creating new things, experimentation and trying out different approaches, and contributing to making a real difference with your work, this would be an exciting and fulfilling role for you! CSIRO champions in providing a diverse and inclusive culture, supports flexible work arrangements, and offers you excellent professional development opportunities to grow your skills & career.

Your duties will include:

• Working within the Electrolysis Team and contributing to the electrocatalytic hydrogen production and storage projects. Tasks will include:
  • Contributing to the modification, redesign and fabrication of the CSIRO electrochemical flow cell.
  • Assisting with the characterisation and evaluation of new electrochemical cell designs.
  • Using techniques to measure and validate electrochemical cell performance.
  • Suggesting and evaluating worthwhile catalyst materials for alkaline water electrolysis and electrochemical hydrogenation/dehydrogenation of liquid organic hydrogen carriers.
• Participating in project planning, experimental design, scheduling and completion of project tasks.
• Contributing to the preparation of high-quality scientific papers for publication in high quality journals, conference papers, client reports and any patents arising from the research.
• Liaising with clients to determine their needs and taking personal responsibility for client satisfaction.
• Under the direction of senior research scientists, carrying out innovative and impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific and commercial outcomes.

Location: Clayton (Melbourne), VIC

Salary: AU$110K – AU$119K pa + up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Specified Term of 3 years

Reference: 96525

To be considered you will need:

• A PhD, or an equivalent combination of qualifications and practical work experience, in a relevant discipline area such as electrochemistry, electroanalytical chemistry, electrochemical or chemical engineering, electrometallurgy or material chemistry.
• Sound knowledge of electrochemical science and technology, including its practice in a research environment.
• A good working knowledge of material requirements for electrochemical applications, such as hydrogen production and storage.
• Experience undertaking complex electrochemical measurements, experimental design, data analysis, and the resolution of difficult problems where the recorded data may be ambiguous.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary research team, plus the motivation and discipline to carry out autonomous research.
• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills, including a proven record of writing scientific journal papers, technical reports, reviewing literature, preparing presentation materials for meetings, conferences, and workshops.

For full details about this role please review the Position Description.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must be either an:

• Australian or New Zealand Citizen;
• Australian Permanent Resident; or
• Australian Temporary Residents, currently residing in Australia, with an existing valid visa and unrestricted work rights for the duration of the term (at least until August 2027) and no requirement for visa sponsorship. Please note this does not include bridging visas or other visas that are dependent upon the approval of future visas.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Flexible working arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

Diversity and inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia’s national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to apply

Please apply online, and provide a detailed cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role. Please note that we strongly encourage you to respond to each of the selection criteria in detail, and attach it to your cover letter as one document.

Applications close

19 May 2024, 11:00pm AEST

We strongly encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications as they come through. CSIRO reserves the right to withdraw this ad prior to the closing date if required.