About Strategic Development Program’s Risk Team
AIMS is recruiting a research scientist to advance work on active interventions that support the resilience of coral reefs and marine ecosystems. This role is in their interdisciplinary Risk team that addresses a global need to better understand risks associated with marine ecosystem interventions including for coral reefs. This team is within the Strategic Development Program, working to deliver innovative projects and transformational change to position AIMS for the future and deliver AIMS Strategy 2040. Strategic Development works alongside AIMS research teams to assist AIMS maintain its position at the frontier of future research. Strategic Development invests time in developing and establishing new program themes and capabilities required to achieve our Strategy, and in delivering major research and reef intervention projects, to deliver positive and lasting impacts for Australia’s tropical marine ecosystems and for dependent people and industries and ensure AIMS remains the #1 marine science agency in the world.
The Risk team contributes to targets for Science Excellence, Trusted Advisor, Impacts and Enhanced Capability under the AIMS strategy, and this scientific researcher position is responsible for intervention risk work across multiple projects. AIMS and the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) have developed a unique capability and expert group process on intervention risk; this position plays a central role.
About this opportunity
You will work in high-profile projects and programs researching and investigating innovative solutions to help support the resilience of coral reefs and marine ecosystems, and advance the scientific understanding of active interventions and their associated risks and benefits. As our Research Scientist – Reef Intervention Assessments, you will lead the delivery and documentation of risk assessments across ecological, cultural, social, and regulatory dimensions, and contribute to science, project development, publications and policy briefs for AIMS and our partners. You will bring relevant marine scientific knowledge and expertise, and work with team members, other internal and external researchers/experts and stakeholders, contributing across the team’s work and collaborations. This includes operational engagement with management agencies, strategic risk management input, generating research publications and improving the understanding of and risk assessment processes for priority interventions.
You will be part of a team that works on high-profile projects and programs including RRAP Research and Development, RRAP Pilot Deployments Program, and other projects and programs in Australia and overseas. Key responsibilities of this AIMS research scientist role include:
- Coordinating and facilitating assessments (e.g. of coral reef intervention proposals), and developing and delivering collaborative projects;
- conducting and overseeing research (e.g. literature reviews and studies), synthesizing science and expert input and producing outputs including scientific reports, talks and publications;
- developing and reviewing a broad range of content, preparing materials and delivering briefings;
- developing, coordinating and running workshops and facilitating processes (e.g. expert elicitation); and
- undertaking cross-functional collaboration and liaison with science teams and external stakeholders.
About you
Underpinning your suitability for this role are your tertiary qualifications in a relevant scientific discipline (ideally including a Ph.D. in a field of marine science) paired with your strong leadership skills and ability to comprehend complex material across subject matter, undertake science-rich assessments and prepare high quality and effective writing, scientific reports and publications. You bring well-developed knowledge of coral reef interventions, and the underpinning science and technologies, and the science, management and policy challenges for tropical marine systems. You have excellent project management and coordination skills. Your highly developed communication and interpersonal skills will allow you to maintain internal and external relationships and be an effective member of the team.
Salary range: AUD $122,283 to $134,056 per annum
Application deadline: December 14, 2025
