Jobs and Careers

• Calculate extreme heat indices for remote communities
• Undertake and publish high-quality research into the future climate
• Full time, fixed term (12 months), based in Hobart

About the opportunity

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral research fellow in extreme heat in remote communities to join the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) in Hobart for a one-year research-focused appointment. This position will join a multidisciplinary, cross-intuitional team of researchers working on a Wellcome Trust funded project exploring the heat health burden on First Nations communities in under-resourced remote Australia. This project will be the first of its kind to collect and collate evidence on the impacts of extreme hot temperatures on remote First Nations residents of Australia living across different climate zones.

What you’ll do:

• Develop historical assessments of temperature and humidity for six remote Australian communities.
• Explore climate projections for each region to investigate how temperature, humidity, and extreme indices may change.
• Prepare climate data for analyses on extreme heat impacts.
• Undertake and publish high-quality research/scholarly activities.
• Collaborate with and contribute to the broader climate, health, and Indigenous research community.

­What we’re looking for:

• A PhD in climate science, environmental science, meteorology, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in working with climate data such as fixed-point observations, gridded historical data and climate projections.
• Demonstrated experience in working with large data sets.
• Strong programming skills (e.g. Python, R) and ideally experience in high-performance computing.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.

Salary details

Appointment to this role will be at Academic Level A and will have a total remuneration package of up to $125,877 comprising base salary within the range of $83,198 to $107,587 plus 17% superannuation.

How to Apply

• To apply online, please provide the following supporting documentation:
  • Resume
  • Cover letter outlining your suitability and motivation for the role
  • Your responses to the success criteria from the Position Description below
• For further information about this position, please contact Melissa Hart, Associate Director - Training and Leadership, melissa.hart@utas.edu.au.
• Please visit https://www.utas.edu.au/jobs/applying for our guide to applying and details on the recruitment process.
• For current UTAS staff, in submitting your application, you acknowledge you have/intend to discuss your interest in this vacancy with your current manager and understand they may need to be contacted confidentially by the hiring manager as part of the assessment of your application.
• Please refer to the attached Position Description Below for full details.

 Position Description - 501879 - Postdoctoral research fellow in extreme heat in remote communities.pdf

Applications close Sunday, 8 February 2026, 11.55pm

The University of Tasmania acknowledges the Palawa/Pakana and Gadigal/Wangal people as the traditional custodians of the land, sea and waters of the areas upon which we live and work. We recognise their valuable contributions and deep connection to country and pay respect to Elders past and present.

As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive workplace, employment history and police checks may be conducted as part of the selection process.

To be eligible for this position, you are required to hold Australian or New Zealand Citizenship, permanent residency or a valid visa that enables you to fulfil the requirements of this role.