Vertebrate Biologist & Lead Vertebrate Biologist

Lead or support seabird research in Antarctica by collecting data, monitoring health, managing samples, and ensuring compliance in a remote team.Vertebrate Biologist & Lead Vertebrate BiologistLead or support seabird research in Antarctica by collecting data, monitoring health, managing samples, and ensuring compliance in a remote team.Madi McLatchie and Benjamin Viola prepare a drone to count penguins in a nearby colony, as part of their avian influenza monitoring work at Davis. Photo: Kat VaughanVertebrate BiologistThe annual base salary when in Australia starts from $102,380 per annum.Base salary + additional allowances when in Antarctica starts from $172,917 per annum.A generous employer superannuation contribution of up to 15.4% will be paid in addition to salary and allowances.You will accrue recreation leave at the equivalent of 20 days per annum pro rata. Please note that recreation leave is not available in Antarctica but will be paid out on return to Australia.The Vertebrate Biologist will conduct fieldwork as part of a team of two in the Mawson region in the 2026/27 summer field season as part of a longterm seabird research and monitoring program. The work will have a particular emphasis on assessing for signs of highly pathogenic avian influenza and meeting Australia''s international monitoring obligations on seabirds.Lead Vertebrate BiologistThe annual base salary when in Australia starts from $107,593 per annum.Base salary + additional allowances when in Antarctica starts from $178,130 per annum.A generous employer superannuation contribution of up to 15.4% will be paid in addition to salary and allowances.You will accrue recreation leave at the equivalent of 20 days per annum pro rata. Please note that recreation leave is not available in Antarctica but will be paid out on return to Australia.The Lead Vertebrate Biologist is selected from the pool of successful Vertebrate Biologists and will take on a leadership role.The Lead Vertebrate Biologist''s role is to apply professional knowledge, skills and previous experience to the collection, processing, collation, and review of data within an approved and established research program. The position has a particular emphasis on assessing for signs of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) and meeting Australia''s international monitoring obligations on seabirds. While in Antarctica, the position will also operate under the direction of the Voyage Leader on the ship and Station Leader while on station. The Lead Vertebrate Biologist will conduct fieldwork, apply professional knowledge and expertise as part of a team of two in the Mawson region in the 2026/27 summer field season as part of a longterm seabird research and monitoring program.What we are looking forEssential - Vertebrate BiologistTo apply for this role, you must have the skills and licences listed below.Qualifications/licencesProvide copy with application:A degree or diploma in a relevant scientific or related discipline for an Australian tertiary institution, or a comparable overseas institution.Driver''s licence Current, unrestricted "C" class (manual) Australian driver''s licence.Citizenship - In accordance with the PS Act 1999, APS employees are required to be Australian citizens. Persons who are not Australian citizens will generally only be considered where there are no suitable Australian applicants, with next considerations being Australian residents with work rights and New Zealand citizens.Obtain prior to commencement:Valid Passport The expiry date of the passport (and any relevant visa) must be at least 6 months beyond the planned end date of your intended stay in the Antarctic or subAntarcticProvide First Aid (HLTAID011) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencementProvide basic emergency life support (HLTAID010) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencementProvide CPR (HLTAID009) must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of commencementKnowledge and experienceExperience in the implementation of established survey methodologies; experience working in close proximity to seabird colonies, handling seabirds and collecting samples.Experience preparing for field seasons of long duration and/or in remote locations.Demonstrated adaptability and readiness to take on a wide range of tasks at short notice in dynamic field environments.Experience taking responsibility for, resources and program outcomes; ability to exercise sound independent judgement in relation to significant issues (e.g. safety, animal ethics, unexpected change).Experience working in small teams living and working in remote environments.Demonstrated ability to communicate with influence in oral and written form; welldeveloped communication and interpersonal skills.Experience in recording and managing field data in a thorough and organised manner; demonstrated ability to undertake routine, and at times tedious data entry and processing tasks; good organisational and report writing skills with attention to detail.Experience with software for data storage and manipulation (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Access, or R) and mapping (e.g. ArcGIS) would be an advantage. Capability in the analysis of ecological, population and/or monitoring data may also be an advantage.Essential - Lead Vertebrate BiologistTo apply for this role, you must have the skills and licences listed below.Qualifications/licencesProvide copy with application:A degree or diploma in a relevant scientific or related discipline for an Australian tertiary institution, or a comparable overseas institution.Driver''s licence Current, unrestricted "C" class (manual) Australian driver''s licence.Citizenship - In accordance with the PS Act 1999, APS employees are required to be Australian citizens. Persons who are not Australian citizens will generally only be considered where there are no suitable Australian applicants, with next considerations being Australian residents with work rights and New Zealand citizens.Obtain prior to commencement:Valid Passport The expiry date of the passport (and any relevant visa) must be at least 6 months beyond the planned end date of your intended stay in the Antarctic or subAntarcticProvide First Aid (HLTAID011) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencementProvide basic emergency life support (HLTAID010) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencementProvide CPR (HLTAID009) must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of commencementKnowledge and experienceRecent experience in leading and implementing seabird monitoring programs.Previous experience using methods and equipment relevant to the Mawson seabird monitoring program, including conducting ground and aerial seabird population surveys; attaching and retrieving instruments to/from penguins and flying seabirds; monitoring breeding success; performing markresight studies; collecting samples to assess diet; and operating and maintaining photographic and other scientific equipment, including image processing.Experience working in close proximity to seabird colonies, including the capture and handling of seabirds, and collecting biological samples (blood, faeces, feathers) effectively and ethically for research.Ability to prepare and lead a field programme with minimal preseason or onground training.Demonstrated adaptability and readiness to take on a wide range of tasks at short notice in dynamic field environments.Proven experience managing people, resources, and programme outcomes effectively, with sound independent judgment on critical issues such as safety, animal ethics, and unexpected changes. Experienced in working within small teams in remote environments.Capable of training a team member in current scientific and operational aspects of the established monitoring programme during the coming field season.Demonstrated ability to communicate with influence in oral and written form; welldeveloped communication and interpersonal skills.Experience in recording and managing field data in a thorough and organised manner, demonstrating strong organisational and reportwriting skills with attention to detail; including the ability to undertake routine and occasionally tedious data entry and processing tasks efficiently.Experience with software for data storage and manipulation (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Access, or R) and mapping (e.g. ArcGIS) would be an advantage. Capability in the analysis of ecological, population and/or monitoring data.Desirable - Vertebrate Biologist & Lead Vertebrate BiologistThese are not essential to the role, however, to be suitable you will need to have at least some of these. We encourage you to apply even if you do not have all the desirable requirements.Knowledge and experienceSkills in any of the following areas may be an advantage: animal handling, attachment of instruments to animals, population survey methods, data processing.A drone pilot licence with experience in surveying wildlife populations may be an advantage. If you hold this licence, you will be required to undergo a Safety Sensitive Aviation Activity (SSAA) screening.ContactFor general enquiries, please email the Hays Expeditioner Recruitment Team at [email protected] .For job specific (technical or trade related) enquiries, or to discuss the rolein more detail, please contact Hays Team at [email protected] .Applications will not be accepted via email.How to applyRead about the essential information for all applicants and life as an expeditioner. This is an overview of the recruitment and selection process.Review the job description. This describes the job and specifies essential qualifications and experience. It also tells you what documents you need to attach to your application.Have your documents ready to attach (e.g., licences, qualifications and current CV/rsum). You must include these to be considered for the job.When you have completed steps 1 to 3 above, click ''Apply Now'' to start your application. Applications will not be accepted via email.More informationEssential information for all applicants including recruitment timelineLife as an expeditionerJob Description - Vertebrate & Lead Vertebrate Biologist PDF 420.0 kBApplications close Sunday 16 November, 11:30 PM AEDT.Apply nowIf you would like to be notified about future Antarctic job opportunities, sign up to our mailing list .GallerySee all % buffered 00:00 02:10 This content was last updated 4 weeks ago on 10 October 2025.#J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2026-01-24