Senior Industrial Relations Advisor

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

• Provide strategic industrial relations advice on complex workplace matters
• Support enterprise bargaining, dispute resolution and industrial advocacy
• Flexible work arrangements + 15.4% superannuation
  
  

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity 
We are seeking a Senior Industrial Relations Advisor to join our Industrial Relations team within Workplace Relations. This team provides practical support and tailored advice on industrial disputes, workplace issues, complex staffing matters and external tribunal matters that affect CSIRO people.

In this role, you will provide practical and risk-based industrial relations advice to leaders and support functions across CSIRO. You will help protect CSIRO’s reputation as a model employer by supporting proactive compliance, fulfilling industrial obligations, acting in good faith with staff and unions, and delivering well-founded advice on a broad range of industrial relations issues.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced industrial relations professional who enjoys working on complex workplace matters, exercising influence, building constructive stakeholder relationships and supporting practical, defensible outcomes.

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Providing tailored and risk-based industrial relations advice on complex workplace matters, enterprise agreement interpretation, dispute resolution and legislative obligations.
• Supporting enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes and workplace consultations.
• Preparing advocacy materials and representing CSIRO in industrial forums where required.
• Partnering with leaders to manage industrial risk and achieve practical workplace outcomes.
• Building productive relationships with unions, employee representatives, senior leaders and key stakeholders to support positive industrial outcomes.
• Educating leaders and People staff on workplace relations obligations and legislative changes.
• Representing CSIRO in industrial forums, including the Fair Work Commission and other external proceedings
• Analysing workforce and industrial data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.

Role particulars

Location: Any major city considered

Salary: AU$118k – AU$127k per annum (pro-rata for part-time) + 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Indefinite, Full-time

Reference: 103770

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• Relevant Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations, Human Resource Management, Business Management, Law, or other relevant discipline;
• Demonstrated experience in providing practical and risk-based industrial relations advice on complex workplace matters, including enterprise agreement interpretation;
• Extensive knowledge of relevant industrial and legal requirements, desirably within a Government context;
• Experience representing in industrial forums, including the Fair Work Commission, conciliations, conferences or comparable proceedings;
• Proven ability to work with business leaders to understand business requirements, provide specialist advice on industrial and legislative requirements;
• Demonstrated ability to use workforce, case and industrial data to inform advice, support advocacy positions;
• Highly developed stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the ability to build constructive working relationships with all relevant stakeholders including unions;
• Demonstrated professional and respectful behaviours and attitudes in a collaborative environment.
  
  

For full details about this role, and other criteria, please review the Position Description. 

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please reach out to the contact person listed in the Position Description and let us know how we can support you.  

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Platinum Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Eligibility 

Applications for this position are open to Australian Citizens, New Zealand Citizens and Australian Permanent Residents.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.  

Child safety 

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy. 

How to apply 

Please apply online and submit a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and CV that demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the essential requirements of this role.

Applications close 

16th August 2026, 11pm AEST.