Aquaculture Technician (Identified Role - Indigenous)
CSIRO
Acknowledgement of Country
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 .
Role highlights
- Lead algal culture and live feed production to support cutting-edge aquaculture research.
- Operate and maintain hatchery systems, monitor animal health, and deliver high-quality data
- Work across Darwin sites in a hands-on and dynamic environment
About CSIRO
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The opportunity
Join CSIRO’s Aquaculture Program as an Aquaculture Technician (Algal & Live Feeds), where you’ll play a key role in supporting scientific research through hands-on aquaculture operations. This position focuses on managing and operating live feed systems, particularly algal culture and artemia production, while also supporting prawn and polychaete hatchery systems. You’ll be responsible for maintaining aquaculture systems, monitoring animal health and welfare, conducting sampling and data collection, and contributing to experimental and research activities. With a strong emphasis on establishing and optimising live feed and hatchery protocols, this role offers the opportunity to grow into broader research involvement over time.
Working across multiple sites in the Darwin region, you’ll operate both independently and within small teams in a dynamic, tropical environment. The role requires strong technical capability, problem-solving skills, and a proactive approach to safety, biosecurity, and system management. You’ll collaborate closely with colleagues and contractors, support and guide less experienced staff, and contribute to the smooth operation of aquaculture facilities. Flexibility is essential, including travel between sites and out-of-hours work during peak production periods, with compensation provided in line with CSIRO arrangements.
Your high-level duties will include
- Participate in algal culture and live feed production activities, including the polychaete worm production systems, at the East Arm and Berrimah sites, operating as part of CSIRO research and development projects.
- Participate in prawn hatchery and broodstock maturation activities at East Arm, and in operating water treatment and filtration systems at the Berrimah and East Arm sites.
- Contribute to developing animal management practices to increase the rigour of routine operations, experiments, enhance biosecurity, and improve animal welfare outcomes.
- Play an active role in maintaining facilities to improve staff safety and operational efficiency.
- Contribute to a range of other research and development activities on other aquaculture species (including algal and live feed species) operating at CSIRO and potentially research and commercial partner sites.
- Travel and off-site activities at external collaborator sites for project development and operational activities and working out of regular hours when needed
- Participate in planning technical and project activities and be responsible for reliable and timely collection of data from research and development activities as required for project delivery, animal ethics reporting and/or biosecurity monitoring
- Work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary, dispersed research team to carry out tasks in support of CSIRO’s scientific objectives
- Support students, visitors, and trainee staff as required, particularly in relation to algal and live feed operations.
- Engage and work collaboratively with CSIRO colleagues of varying levels and expertise, to operate aquaculture research and development projects
- This position is open across two levels (CSOF3/4), the appointment level will be determined by the qualifications, skills and relevant experience of the successful candidate.
- Education/Qualifications: Tertiary qualifications and sound experience in Aquaculture or a related field, or significant commercial and/or research experience.
- Live feed: Experience with live feed production, particularly algal culture and artemia culture, and any other live feed production systems for research or production and managing water treatment systems.
- Experimentation: Experience in performing live animal experiments and collecting experimental data with limited supervision.
- Software: Experience using Microsoft Office suite and specialist software for the collection and interpretation of data.
- Driver’s license: A driver’s licence valid in Australia, and an ability to work off-site, as required.
- Behaviours: A history of professional and respectful behaviours and attitudes in a collaborative environment with the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander communities, Elders, and organisations.
- HS&E: A demonstrated commitment to health, safety, and wellbeing of staff, willing to challenge the status quo in pursuit of Zero Harm.
- RAS: Experience in managing recirculating aquaculture systems for tropical aquatic animals.
- Trade: Ability to apply basic plumbing/carpentry skills to complete minor repairs and modifications to seawater laboratory systems.
- Laboratory: Experience with basic laboratory procedures, including sample preparation, basic procedures, accurate record keeping, and maintaining laboratory cleanliness and organisation.
- Innovation: Ability and willingness to contribute novel ideas and approaches in support of scientific investigations.
