The Reef Recovery, Adaptation and Restoration Program delivers essential components of the science for solutions that are core to AIMS Strategy 2040. Global and local stressors are increasingly impacting the Great Barrier Reef and reefs around the world. Corals that form key ecosystem functions must acclimatize and adapt to persist in a warming future. The Program’s research progresses the understanding of the scope, rates and molecular mechanisms underpinning acclimatization and adaptation knowledge that is essential to forecast corals’ responses, including bleaching susceptibility and mortality under different emission and management scenarios. Applying this fundamental knowledge, the research and development delivered by this Program is testing the feasibility, benefits and risks of novel reef restoration and adaptation interventions that seed corals onto reefs. This includes developing techniques for coral enhancements that improve temperature tolerance, and advancing large-scale aquaculture production of selected coral stock.
Our Technology, Advance Analysis and Synthesis team establishes diagnostic tools to test and monitor corals produced within aquaculture facilities ensuring designated health and quality standards are met.
About this opportunity
AIMS conducts research into eco-evolutionarily responsible reef interventions to enhance reef resilience to environmental challenges. This position plays a significant role in the development and implementation of scalable genetic assessment in conservation aquaculture of corals under the reef restoration Pilot Deployment Program. Such genetic approaches will guide breeding strategies to support adaptive capacity of corals by ensuring high genetic diversity whilst ensuring that interventions do not harm reef values.
Key responsibilities of this role include:
- development and implementation of scalable genetic workflows in aquaculture of corals for conservation interventions;
- contributing to or leading aspects of aquarium experiments, sample collection, genetic assays, data collection, and bioinformatic analyses; and
- optimizing procedures in a molecular laboratory and computational pipelines with innovation and integrity.
About you
Underpinning your suitability for this role is your Ph.D. degree specializing in the fields of population genomics or conservation biology, and in molecular biology. You have an established publication track record that supports your ability to conduct independent eukaryotic genomic studies. You have extensive experience handling raw high throughput sequencing files at population scales, analyzing genetic diversity metrices, and implementing molecular laboratory workflows. Familiarity in breeding of eukaryotic organisms, such as marine invertebrates, is highly desirable.
Key Selection Criteria
Essential
- A Ph.D. degree specializing in the fields of population genomics or conservation biology, and in molecular biology.
- Established publication track record supporting the candidate’s abilities to conduct independent eukaryotic genomic studies, from experimental design, bioinformatics, statistical analyses, to biological interpretation.
- Extensive experience in handling raw high-throughput sequencing files at population scales and analyzing genetic diversity metrices.
- Extensive experience and understanding in molecular laboratory workflows, including DNA extraction, target amplification/enrichment, or quantitative assays of genetic markers.
- Demonstrated effective writing skills in a variety of scientific formats to meet deadlines and effective oral communication skills to scientific communities and various stakeholders.
Desirable
- Familiarity in breeding of eukaryotic organisms, such as marine invertebrates in aquaculture facilities.
- Experience in preparation of sequencing libraries and/or operation of molecular sequencing platforms including portable long-read sequencers.
- Current C Class Open Drivers License (or equivalent) or the willingness to obtain.
Salary range: $100,862 to $110,957 per annum
Application deadline: November 19, 2025
