Program Administration Officer

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. 

• Support the CSIRO Mineral Resources’ Value-added Critical Minerals Research program
• Bring your strong organisational skills and attention to details
• Part-time job share position – 0.6FTE

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity 

As the Administration Officer, you will provide high-quality administrative support to the Research Program Director, as well as general administrative support to the broader research program (~65 people spread across 3 States). The AO works closely with the Research Director (RD) to manage the administrative aspects of the Program including, email and calendar management for the RD; issues management including preparation of internal & external stakeholder communication; coordination of workshops, meetings, events and travel; leadership team reporting; and HSE registers and reporting.

This is a job share opportunity working with an existing AO who currently works 0.4 FTE.

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Provide practical support to the Research Director on dealing with issues and interactions with internal and external stakeholders, including email, diary, and travel management.
• Ensure prioritised issues for the Research Director’s attention are effectively managed.
• Prepare and review correspondence and reports that deal with routine matters.
• Monitor and follow up on issues that need to be drawn to the Research Director’s attention in a timely manner.
• Assist the Research Unit EO or EA to coordinate material needed for reviews, reports or to respond to information requests.
• Manage or contribute to administrative projects or issues (e.g. scholarship programs, visiting scientists, publication records).
• Coordinate internal and external meetings or other events, including booking rooms, resources, travel, transport, equipment and catering.
• Prepare meeting minutes and initiate follow‐up action.
• Provide general administrative support for program, group and team activities.
• Establish and maintain electronic document management systems in accordance with CSIRO’s record management standards.
• Maintain registers/logs related to specific operational requirements relevant to the Business Unit’s operations.
• Draft routine responses and correspondence, and monitor follow‐up actions.
• Develop and maintain functional networks to facilitate effective Research  Unit operations.
• Prepare or assist in the preparation of technical documents and presentation material.
• Assist the Research Director to manage email, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Resolve conflicting appointments and deadlines.
• Assist in or coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements for the Research Director and other program staff as required.
• Acquit travel expenses, and reconcile credit card statements, process payments, and raise invoices as required.
• Maintain office supplies and equipment for the site.
• Coordinate HSE matters (e.g. safety contacts) on behalf of the Research Director.
• Other duties as directed.

Role particulars

Location and office arrangements: Kensington or Waterford, Perth; Waite, Adelaide; Clayton, VIC

Salary: AU$76k – AU$96k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule:  Indefinite; Part-time 0.6 FTE

Reference: 103084

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• Demonstrated experience in providing administrative assistance to a line manager and/or team in a fast paced and complex environment.
• Proven proficiency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive; and ability to quickly learn specific corporate software packages (such as SAP etc).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a geographically-dispersed teams, positively contributing to the team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to clearly convey information and ideas, through written and verbal communication, and establish effective interpersonal relationships with a wide variety of people.
• Strong organisational skills, able to prioritise demands, and escalate issues when required.
• Demonstrated ability to professionally handle sensitive and confidential information, and use appropriate judgment and discretion.
• Ability to work with minimal direction, and show initiative and adaptability when managing competing demands.
• Ability to quickly adapt to technological, structural and procedural changes and maintain professionalism and flexibility.

 
For full details about this role, and other criteria, please review the Position Description.

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please let us know via email – careers.online@csiro.au how we can support you.  

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Eligibility 

 To be eligible to apply for this position, you must be an Australian / New Zealand Citizen or Australian Permanent resident. 

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

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. 

How to apply 

Please apply online and submit a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and CV that demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the essential requirements of this role.

Applications close 

27th July 2026, 11:59pm AEST (we reserve the right to close the advert early if we find a suitable candidate and encourage you to apply early to avoid missing out).