Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation | Centre for Crop Science
Full-time fixed-term position for 3 years
Base salary will be in the range $82,057.75 - $109,246.18+ 17% Superannuation (Academic Level A)
Based at our Hermitage Research Facility (Warwick) with regular meetings at Gatton and St Lucia Campus
We’re looking for a driven Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a multidisciplinary team transforming the value of sorghum biomass for sustainable agriculture and bio-based industries. Within the ARC Research Hub for Engineering Plants to Replace Fossil Carbon, you’ll collaborate with leading scientists across UQ and partner institutions, including the University of Adelaide, to deliver research with real-world impact.
Sorghum is Australia’s most important summer cereal, producing large amounts of stem biomass with untapped potential for renewable energy and sustainable materials. In this role, you will explore genetic diversity in stem anatomy and lignocellulosic composition, develop high-throughput screening methods, and identify genomic regions linked to key traits. Your work will directly contribute to breeding resilient, high-value sorghum cultivars and advancing solutions that support climate-smart agriculture.
Fieldwork at Hermitage Research Facility (Warwick) and collaboration across Gatton and St Lucia will provide hands-on experience in cutting-edge plant science, giving you the chance to make a tangible impact on sustainable food and energy systems.
Key responsibilities will include:
Research: Lead and conduct high-quality experimental and analytical plant research, including field trials, phenotypic and anatomical analyses, NIR method development, genetic and genomic studies, publication and presentation of findings, funding applications, and translation of outcomes to industry.
Supervision and Researcher Development: Provide effective supervision and research support to Honours and HDR students (as appropriate).
Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate leadership and collaboration by supporting unit operations, contributing to internal and external service activities, fostering positive and inclusive team culture, and building partnerships with industry, government, and the wider community in alignment with UQ values.
This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.
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.
Essential
Desirable
Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include verification of the right to work in Australia and qualifications. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.
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.
For more information about this opportunity, please contact Prof Karine Chenu (karine.chenu@uq.edu.au) or Prof Emma Mace (emma.mace@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.
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, particularly from Australia’s First Nations Peoples. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact talent@uq.edu.au.
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 Sunday January 18th 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-59247). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for the week commencing February 2nd 2026.