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

• Apply behavioural and social science to real-world impact, supporting Australia’s energy transition through innovative, applied research
• Work at the intersection of sustainability, housing, and mass media, contributing to a flagship media-impact project with national reach
• Join a multidisciplinary CSIRO team tackling decarbonisation through evidence-based behaviour change and communication

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

The Energy research unit supports Australia’s transition to a fair, sustainable, and net-zero energy future. Our work focuses on people as much as technology—using interdisciplinary research to understand behaviour and design solutions that reduce emissions while improving everyday life for households and communities.

We partner with government, industry, and the public to deliver evidence-based research that drives meaningful change, ensuring the energy transition is not only technically feasible, but socially inclusive and grounded in real-world impact.

We are seeking a passionate and adaptable Research Scientist to join the Social Impact and Living Labs team within the Energy Research Unit. This role sits at the intersection of behavioural and social science, sustainability, and mass media, supporting national efforts to decarbonise the energy system—particularly in the residential housing context.

Working closely with researchers, media partners, and industry collaborators, you will deliver applied behavioural science research that translates into measurable, real-world outcomes. You will contribute to a flagship media-impact project as well as broader behavioural science initiatives aligned with CSIRO’s strategic priorities.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Design and deliver applied behavioural and social science research addressing sustainability, energy use, and environmental impact.
• Lead quantitative research activities, including survey and experimental design, statistical modelling, and data analysis.
• Contribute to the design and evaluation of communication and mass-media interventions aimed at shifting behaviours and social norms.
• Apply behavioural science expertise to projects supporting residential energy transition and decarbonisation.
• Translate research insights into clear, practical recommendations for government, industry, and media stakeholders.
• Prepare and disseminate research outputs, including journal articles, client reports, and applied publications.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and external partners to deliver integrated, real-world outcomes.
• Contribute to research development activities, including proposal writing, securing project funding, and identifying new research opportunities.

Role particulars & eligibility

• Location: Brisbane (Dutton Park or Pullenvale) preferred. Will consider Melbourne (Clayton), Newcastle and other locations for the right candidate. Hybrid working available.
• Salary: AU$118k – AU$127k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation
• Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite, full time. Options for part-time (minimum 0.75 FTE), job-share and flexible work arrangements can be discussed based on needs of role and individual circumstances.
• Reference: 101735
• 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.

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

Essential

• A PhD (or equivalent experience) in behavioural science, psychology, social science, environmental science, or a related field, with a track record of original, high-quality research (e.g., publications, reports, grants, patents).
• Strong quantitative research skills, including advanced statistical analysis, data interpretation, and mixed-methods approaches.
• Passion for applying behavioural science to sustainability, energy, environment, and media or science communication, with experience working in adaptive, real-world research settings.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and external partners, contributing to diverse projects including residential energy use and decarbonisation.

Desirable

• Experience translating research for non-academic audiences, and familiarity with research ethics, privacy, and governance processes.
• Experience in social media or digital behaviour research, including data collection and analysis.
• A commitment to health, safety, and wellbeing, aligned with CSIRO’s Zero Harm culture.

For full details about this role, and all criteria, please review the Position Description. Please note: Under CSIRO policy only those who meet all essential criteria can be appointed.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that individuals may have different needs, and we’re happy to discuss what adjustments to our process may help you feel safe, respected and able to participate fully. Please contact careers.online@csiro.au and let us know how we can support you.

Life, benefits 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.

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

3rd February 2026, 11:00pm AEDT