• Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position through to October 2028
• Base salary will be in the range $106,294 to $113,660 + 17% super (Academic Level A)
• Based at our St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity 

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established, expert team to conduct innovative research on thermoelectric materials for low-grade waste heat recovery. Working on a project within the ARC Research Hub in Zero-Emission Power Generation for Carbon Neutrality, known as ZeroPC, you will collaborate with researchers and industry partners across UQ, QUT and HBIS Group.

A high level of knowledge, expertise and experience in thermoelectric materials and devices will be required for this project, as you will be expected to carry out experimental and computational studies on thermoelectric materials, as well as supporting the supervision and development of Undergraduate, Honours and Higher Degree Research students.

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Research: Produce high-quality research outputs and work within a cross-disciplinary team to fabricate, characterise and test thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric generators and integrated waste-heat recovery systems; Undertake density functional theory calculations and finite element analysis to guide the selection and development of thermoelectric materials and devices, while contributing to funding applications and research translation.

• Supervision and Researcher Development: Support the effective supervision and development of undergraduate project, Honours and Higher Degree by Research students through feedback, coaching and collaborative research practice.

• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate UQ values, contribute to priority activities and internal service, and help develop productive relationships with industry, government, professional bodies and the wider community.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

About You 

• Completion or near completion of a PhD in the fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, materials engineering, physics or similar field;
• Demonstrated expertise in fabrication and characterisation of thermoelectric materials and thermoelectric generators;
• Demonstrate expertise in DFT calculations or or finite element analysis of thermoelectric materials and devices;
• Evidence of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences.
• Evidence of contributions towards successfully obtaining external research funding;
• Ability to work well in a team and to contribute to development of a collaborative and supportive research environment.

About ZeroPC

ZeroPC is an ARC Hub and partnership between University and Industry aiming to develop sustainable zero-emission power generation technologies to transform gaseous waste from our energy and manufacturing sectors into valuable products and create scalable pathways to market for driving industry transformation. This Hub plans to harvest renewable energy from the environment by using zero-emission thermoelectric power generators and then store it in green and safer batteries for converting gaseous waste from sectors that cannot easily avoid emission into useful chemicals, which in turn realize carbon neutrality and negativity.

About UQ

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. 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, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

Interested?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Prof Debra Bernhardt - [email protected].

For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at [email protected], stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 

When you apply, please ensure you upload a resume, cover letter, and responses to the ‘About You’ section. Please note that applications received via email will not be accepted.

Other Information 

Pre-employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [email protected] or calling +61 7 3365 2623.

Applications close 18 October 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-68319)