Innovation Systems Specialist

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

The Opportunity

• ​​​​​​Apply your creativity to develop new ideas & strategies for CSIRO Ag & Food
• Enhance complex agri-food innovation systems capacity with your expertise
• Great opportunity to be part of Australia’s premier science & innovation agency!

Are you interested in being part of a collaborative team of R&D experts and industry partners, to drive innovation for sustainable agrifood systems? We are currently seeking a talented and driven Innovation Systems Specialist to join us in an exciting term opportunity!

At CSIRO, we are working at local to global scales, using a systems approach to tackle sustainability challenges impacting our diverse, interconnected food systems. These challenges include climate change, slowing farm productivity, health and nutrition, sustainability issues, and social inclusion. With the growing pressures on food systems, we also acknowledge that complex challenges as such require collective systems/solutions that bring advanced technology, productive processes & frameworks, and valuable research & industry expertise all together. Therefore, we are currently keen to increase our capacity in this area.

In this multi-faceted role as the Innovation Systems Specialist, you will be responsible for the analysis & diagnostics of our existing systems, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholder to enhance and/or co-create novel innovation approaches, acting as a knowledge broker to build CSIRO’s networks and research capacity, communicating our science innovation outcomes to a variety of audiences, and continuously evaluating the systems for further developments. You will have the opportunity to work across number of CSIRO’s science and impact projects, such as ‘Towards Net Zero’ mission and ‘Aus4Innovation Program’ in Vietnam, and build innovation systems capacity to address different challenges and opportunities in various contexts. Since the role will be supporting CSIRO’s sustainability and transformation agendas in Australia and overseas, it will therefore involve consistent international travel.

If you’re motivated by working in complex settings, and addressing problems that require creativity to develop new ideas and strategies, we would love to hear from you! CSIRO champions in providing a diverse and inclusive culture, supports flexible work arrangements, and offers you excellent professional development opportunities to grow your skills & career.

Applications are invited and assessed across two capability levels, and the successful candidate will be appointed at the level commensurate with their skills and experience.

Your duties will include:

• System analysis and project design: Co-creating and experimenting with novel innovation approaches, and incorporating global knowledge & concepts into context-specific activities and pilots with local partners; as well as analysing innovation systems to identify project opportunities and challenges.
• Evaluation and learning: Experimenting with novel and fit-for-purpose Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) approaches and evaluation approaches at program and systems levels, which would also involve designing and facilitating workshops/meetings for reflective learning, and using those MEL approaches for reporting on accountability, decision making, and for adaptive management of complex systems projects.
• Relationship management: Proactively engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, particularly brokering partnerships or facilitating connections between innovation system stakeholders around shared goals and/or application of research solutions into use.
• Program Delivery, Coordination and Facilitation: Contributing to the planning, scheduling and completion of project deliverables, including allocating, directing and monitoring tasks where appropriate. It would also involve translating research activities & outcomes into technical reports, scientific publications, practice briefs and/or policy briefs.
• At the higher capability level (CSOF6), the Innovation Systems Specialist will be applying their expertise to lead the above-mentioned activities/duties and undertake them with more autonomy.

Location: Canberra ACT (preferred); Brisbane QLD (considered)

Salary: AU$105K – AU$142K pa + up to 15.4% superannuation (across two levels)

Tenure: Specified Term of 3 years; Full-time

Reference: 91754

To be considered you will need:

• A degree or relevant work experience in innovation systems, monitoring and evaluation, community or development studies, or social science.
• Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, analysis and/or prioritisation in a collective setting.
• Working knowledge of systems, analytical and/or learning frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to work and/or lead effectively in a diverse team, in tight timeframes and in a dynamic work environment.
• Demonstrated experience in agile project management, stakeholder engagement and/or knowledge brokering in a research or development context.
• Advanced communication skills, including facilitation, written and oral communication, relationship building and/or translation of scientific research to non-science audiences.
• To be considered for the higher capability level (CSOF6), you will need to demonstrate significant experience and in-depth knowledge & understanding in the above-mentioned criteria, particularly with strategic planning and co-production of projects/programs in Australian and international settings, developing & applying knowledge systems, and in agile and complex project management in R&D context.

For full details about this role please review the Position Description.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents, or you must either hold, or be able to obtain, a valid working visa (visa sponsorship may be provided to the successful candidate if required).

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

Flexible Working Arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

Diversity and Inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to Apply

Please apply online, and provide a detailed cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role. Please note that we strongly encourage you to respond to each of the selection criteria in detail, and attach it to your cover letter as one document.

Applications Close

12 June 2023, 11:00pm AEST