Principal Research Scientist

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. 

Role highlights

• ​​​​​​Lead Australia's Next generation Water Intelligence Platform

• Shape National and Global Impact Through Science Leadership

• Turn Research Innovation into Real-World Outcomes at CSIRO

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 

Join CSIRO's AquaWatch program and lead the development of innovative water monitoring products that help communities, industries and governments better understand and manage Australia's water resources. Working at the intersection of science, technology and environmental stewardship, you'll guide the transition of pioneering research into operational solutions while collaborating with experts across Australia and around the globe. If you're passionate about turning innovation into impact, this is your opportunity to help shape the future of water intelligence.

We are seeking an innovative and collaborative AquaWatch Product Development Lead to drive the development and operational delivery of next-generation water quality monitoring products. In this influential role, you will lead multidisciplinary teams, work with national and international partners, and transform cutting-edge Earth observation science into practical solutions that support environmental sustainability, water security and informed decision-making. This is a unique opportunity to combine scientific leadership, product innovation and stakeholder engagement to create real-world impact at scale.

CSIRO Space and Astronomy is committed to providing a safe and inclusive work culture and implementing initiatives to improve diversity and equity within our workplaces. Visit Space and astronomy - CSIRO and AquaWatch Australia - CSIRO to know more.

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Lead the development and delivery of innovative AquaWatch water quality products, ensuring they meet user, stakeholder and operational requirements.
• Provide scientific and technical leadership in aquatic remote sensing and Earth observation applications for water quality monitoring.
• Drive the transition of research into operational products and services, delivering real-world environmental and societal impact.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external partners, including government, industry and international stakeholders, to co-design solutions and maximise adoption.
• Lead product planning, prioritisation and continuous improvement, ensuring products remain fit-for-purpose and aligned to user needs.
• Represent CSIRO and AquaWatch as a trusted expert, building partnerships and contributing to national and international initiatives in water intelligence and Earth observation.
• Mentor and support technical teams, fostering collaboration, innovation and excellence in product development and delivery.

Role particulars

Location and office arrangements: Blackmountain (Canberra, ACT) or Kintore Ave (Adelaide, SA)

Salary: AU$163k – AU$180k per annum (pro-rata for part-time) plus 15.4% superannuation 

Tenure & work schedule: Specified Term of 2 years; Full-time 

Reference: 103430

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• PhD or equivalent experience in remote sensing, environmental science, water quality science, or a closely related discipline, with expertise in aquatic applications. 
• Demonstrated expertise in Earth observation (EO) water quality science, including the development, validation and operational deployment of water quality products and applications.
• Proven ability to translate advanced EO science into operational services, including cloud-based processing environments, scalable data workflows and automated workflow orchestration, and continuous production pipelines for large volume satellite and in situ data.
• Experience leading complex multidisciplinary projects, involving data systems, modelling frameworks, observational networks, and stakeholder engagement, delivering integrated water quality intelligence solutions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership skills, with a track record of co-designing products and collaborating with government, industry, research and regulatory agencies.
• Evidence of scientific leadership and impact, including publications, applied research outcomes, operational service delivery, and the ability to communicate complex science to diverse audiences.

For full details about this role, 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 contact the Talent Acquisition Partner via email (see details in the Position Description) and let us know how we can support you.

 
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Eligibility** 

Applications for this position are open to Australian Citizens only. Appointment to this role is subject to the provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

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.

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 provide a CV and a detailed cover letter, responding to each of the selection criteria in detail (as outlined in the position description), that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role. Please attach your selection criteria responses to your cover letter as one document.

Applications close 

31 July 2026, 11:00 pm AEDT

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We strongly encourage early applications as we will be reviewing applications as they come through. CSIRO reserves the right to close the advertising early if we find our desired candidate._