Seagoing Software Engineer / Data Analyst

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

• Support ocean research at sea, managing data systems, ICT networks, and real-time data quality
• Build and deliver data tools, processing and publishing high-quality scientific datasets
• Partner with scientists to enable complex research on leading research vessel

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 

Support world-class scientific voyages aboard the RV Investigator by delivering critical ICT, software engineering, and data management services. Working with a sophisticated onboard network, you’ll help enable the collection and management of scientific data, contributing to high-impact blue-water research delivered through the Marine National Facility.

This role combines seagoing and onshore responsibilities. At sea, you’ll manage data acquisition systems, maintain ICT networks, support voyage participants, and work closely with scientists to achieve research objectives. Onshore, you’ll develop and maintain applications and tools for data processing, visualisation, and management, while supporting and improving ICT infrastructure and delivering high-quality data products. Based in Hobart, the role is open to candidates from diverse ICT backgrounds, with training and mentoring provided.

A requirement of the role is to provide up to 85 days per year of seagoing support on voyages that are typically 3 to 8 weeks in duration.

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Develop and maintain on-premises software to gather, store and deliver real-time scientific data in a remote environment.
• Deploy and maintain Windows and Linux physical and virtual servers and workstations.
• Process and review marine datasets from shipboard acquisition systems, including validation, visualisation and data management.
• While at sea on research voyages, operate data acquisition systems, maintain data quality, and provide general ICT support. Support and maintain the ship’s network and off-ship communication infrastructure.
• In conjunction with other electronic and computing support staff, diagnose and rectify hardware, firmware and software problems with scientific data acquisition and instrumentation systems, and with the ship’s ICT network infrastructure.
• Liaise with scientists and assist with the processing, quality control and visualisation of data acquired on the ship. 
• Communicate openly, effectively and respectfully with all staff, clients and suppliers in the interests of good business practice, collaboration and enhancement of CSIRO’s reputation.
• Work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary, often regionally dispersed, research team and business unit to carry out tasks in support of CSIRO scientific objectives.
• Adhere to the spirit and practice of CSIRO’s Code of Conduct, Health, Safety and Environment procedures and policy, Diversity initiatives and Making Safety Personal goals. 
• Proactively identify and take ownership of opportunities for improvements in systems and procedures; analyse underlying issues of complex and ill-defined problems; develop solutions and manage them through to delivery of a positive outcome. 
• Other duties as directed.

Role particulars

Location: Hobart, TAS

Salary: AU$103k - AU$113k per annum + 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified term of 3 years, Full-time        

Reference: 102960

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

Essential criteria

• A tertiary qualification in Information Technology or equivalent relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop maintainable, secure software in a modern programming language.
• Demonstrated experience utilising frameworks, libraries and languages relevant to the development of data systems and web-based applications.
• An understanding of software engineering methodologies and version control systems.
• Capability to apply quality assurance processes to the processing and curation of scientific datasets, including adherence to data standards and best practice workflows.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communications skills, including demonstrated ability to clearly document software, data flows and to produce manuals and reports.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and interact effectively, sometimes from remote locations, as part of a highly competent and committed team.
• Ability to provide effective technical support to scientists and crew in sometimes remote and challenging physical conditions.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and meet goals, working with clients under limited direction to mutually agreed outcomes and deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and take ownership of opportunities for improvements in systems and procedures; analyse underlying issues of complex and ill-defined problems; collaborate with stakeholders outside of the team; develop solutions and manage them through to delivery of a positive outcome under limited direction.

For full details about this role, and other desirable selection 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 contact Careers.Online@csiro.au 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 Gold 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 CV and cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the selection criteria of this role.

Applications close 

3 June 2026, 11:00pm AEST