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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

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The opportunity

• Conduct innovative research in advancing the understanding of safe and reliable storage of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and compressed air energy
• Contribute to progressing Australia’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050
• Lead and collaborate with industry, government and the community to make a real-world difference

CSIRO is Australia’s National Science Agency and is one of the world’s largest and most successful publicly funded research and development organisations. We deliver world-class science and outcome-focused research that generates economic, environmental, and social benefits for Australia, and globally. Our developments include Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology, WiFi, the Hendra virus vaccine, polymer banknotes, extended wear contact lenses, Aerogard and the Total Wellbeing Diet.

As we move towards a net zero emissions future, the four key components of the energy sector — electricity, industry, transport and exports — are evolving rapidly. There is a huge body of work needed across the industry over the next 10 years for Australia’s energy transition. CSIRO’s work is helping build the foundation for this through the provision of reliable, actionable, evidence-based advanced energy research and development to assist governments, industry and the community, in the energy transition.

As part of the Underground Storage Characterisation Team, the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Geoscientist will conduct innovative research leading to scientific achievements in advancing the understanding of safe and reliable storage of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and compressed air energy. Research opportunities need to be investigated in applied basin analysis, mapping, geological characterisation, and multi resource identification and management to support industrial decarbonisation.

You will be responsible for devising strategies to reduce technical and environmental risks associated with sub-surface uncertainties and advancing the uptake of geological knowledge for site selection and project development. You will scope novel project proposals for industrial clients, play a lead role in securing project funds and collaborate where appropriate to ensure basin mapping and site screening workflows are best practice nationally and internationally. You will also play the role of technical advisor to key government and community stakeholders and contribute towards advancing Australia’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050.

Your duties will include:

• Work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary, regionally dispersed research team to apply specialist geological knowledge and carry out tasks in support of CSIRO’s decarbonisation research areas.
• Anticipate industry needs and market direction of transition fuels such as Hydrogen, through client liaison and networking.
• Develop challenging but realistic research plans and lead projects from opportunity identification, conception, development, resourcing, planning, through to delivering impact to clients and partners.
• Demonstrate a considerable degree of originality, creativity and innovation in solving problems and introduce new directions and approaches for integrating basin hydrodynamics, sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy, and specialised formation evaluation techniques into 3D subsurface models for uncertainty risking and fluid simulation.
• Draw on industry best practice to explore for and assess suitable rock formations on the regional scale with potential for Carbon Capture and Storage or storage of Hydrogen in Australia; including developing the multi-criteria for common risk segment mapping for successful underground geological settings.
• Undertake feasibility studies to test the impacts of geological heterogeneity on the storage of hydrogen in underground reservoirs, caverns, and salt complexes as a technology to ensure supply and export of this emerging new fuel.
• Explore how geological science, industry knowledge, and networks can be leveraged with new capabilities in digital science (i.e. advanced well log analysis or digital core) to reduce lead times for site characterisation and preparation for Declaration of Storage.

Location: Perth, WA preferred. Melbourne may be considered.

Salary: AU$126k – AU$148k plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Indefinite

Reference: 97275

To be considered you will need:

• A PhD (or an equivalent combination of qualifications and research experience) in a relevant field such as Oil & Gas development, Carbon Capture and Storage evaluation, or natural Hydrogen exploration.
• Ability to undertake original, creative and innovative research by generating and pursuing novel ideas and solutions to scientific research problems, including a history of authorship on scientific papers in peer reviewed journals and/or reports.
• Research experience in the regional screening of sedimentary basins using multi-criteria specifically for Carbon Capture and Storage, natural hydrogen prospectivity, or underground hydrogen storage.
• Research experience in static modelling and reservoir characterisation for pilot or commercial scale Carbon Capture and Storage projects, including geophysical interpretation, well planning and formation evaluation strategies.
• Specific scientific/engineering technical skills in resource and risk evaluation; integrating core, well log and seismic interpretations; interrogating geographic information systems; and constructing 3D geological models for numerical simulation in various platforms.
• An understanding of the challenges involved in energy resource industry strategy, portfolio management, and asset development.
• An understanding of the various government permitting requirements associated with conducting Carbon Capture and Storage and Natural Hydrogen projects in Australia is desirable, as is previous experience in other sub-surface resource exploitation such as geothermal, groundwater extraction, and/or waste disposal.

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

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian and overseas candidates. Visa sponsorship may be offered to the successful candidate if required. 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 on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrateyour motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

Applications close

1st August 2024, 11:00pm AEST/AEDT