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Sustainable Minerals Institute Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months Base salary will be in the range $93,491.78 - $100,296.98 + 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6) Based at our St Lucia Campus and the University Mine - Indooroopilly. About This Opportunity We’re seeking a Senior Research Assistant to play a key role in advancing the Dust and Respiratory Health Program. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your expertise in occupational hygiene, mining, mineralogy, microscopy, occupational health, or related disciplines to research that makes a difference. As part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team, you’ll provide specialist technical and research expertise across the entire research life cycle—helping deliver high-quality outcomes in a rapidly expanding field with significant growth potential. If you’re experienced, motivated, and ready to contribute to research that improves health and safety, we’d love to hear from you! Key responsibilities will include: Prepare samples for redeposition and microscopy analysis, including PVC filter processing, particle extraction, laboratory redeposition, and adherence to established protocols. Manage MLA and FEG-SEM file workflows, including organising datasets, maintaining naming conventions, tracking sample progress, and ensuring files are correctly stored and retrievable. Follow and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for redeposition, sample preparation, and data handling to ensure consistency and high analytical quality. Conduct quality checks on MLA outputs, including mineral maps, particle classifications, and artefact identification. Interpret microscopy and particle-by-particle datasets to support project reporting, including identifying trends, validating mineral associations, and extracting key indicators for health-risk interpretation. Use coding (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB, or similar) to clean, process, and analyse large MLA datasets and to generate figures, tables, and visual outputs for reports, publications, and presentations. Support training for students or collaborators in redeposition sample-preparation methods and data workflows as required. Maintain laboratory safety standards, chemical handling procedures, and compliance with UQ protocols during sample preparation. Mentor junior research assistants and students. 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. Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as: Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave/paid primary care leave 17% superannuation contributions + 17.5% annual leave loading Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times and purchased leave. Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family Career development opportunities –access to exclusive internal-only vacancies and our Study for Staff program On campus childcare options Affordable parking (from just $6.40 a day) Salary packaging options About You Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, materials science, geology, environmental science, engineering, occupational hygiene or a related field (or equivalent experience). Experience with laboratory-based sample preparation (e.g., microscopy prep, filter handling, mineralogical or particulate sample processing). Strong data-management skills, including experience with large analytical or imaging datasets, file organisation, naming conventions, and accurate record-keeping. Demonstrated ability to interpret scientific datasets, particularly microscopy, mineralogy, or particle-characterisation data. Experience with coding for data analysis (Python, R, MATLAB, or similar), including cleaning, transforming, and visualising complex datasets. Excellent attention to detail, especially in following and improving SOPs for sample prep and data workflows. Ability to work independently in a structured laboratory environment, while contributing collaboratively to a multidisciplinary project team. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing data summaries, figures, and supporting content for technical reports or publications. The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia. 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. Questions? For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr Nikky LaBranche at n.labranche@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. Want to Apply? We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload: Resume A cover letter summarising how your background aligns with 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. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact talent@uq.edu.au. Other Information 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 Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 11:00pm AEST (R-58632). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for the week commencing Monday 12 January 2026. The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million). Our state-of-the-art facilities, libraries, and cutting-edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries. UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way. UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high-quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed. Explore our current job openings, discover our programs, and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work. For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.