“
This type of work takes a broad
range of skills, you need to be
flexible, willing to learn and
have excellent communication
skills.
“
I studied psychology and began my career
as an academic, tutoring and lecturing in
psychology and working as a Research
Assistant while completing my PhD in
Psychology (neurophysiology) at the
University of Wollongong.
I went on to pursue a post-doctoral
fellowship in Neurophysiology for the
University of Newcastle before being offered
a Program Coordination role for a state-wide
rural mental health program. My time in
this role gave me an excellent foundation
in program coordination and management
which led to my current position as Program
Coordinator of Sustaining the Basin: Irrigated
Farm Modernisation Program (STBIFM).
Environment & Sustainability » Careers in Primary Industries
Australian agriculture continues to improve
management practices that impact on the
sustainability of our scarce physical resources
and deliver better environmental outcomes.
There are endless employment opportunities
in our primary industries regardless of your
qualifications and experience. Likewise
a successful background working in our
primary industries sector can lead to many
other exciting and unexpected career
pathways.
Environment and sustainability careers with
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
include:
»» Land Use Planners
»» Irrigation Specialists
»» Natural Resource Managers
»» Climate Change Researchers.
STBIFM aims to achieve water savings by
improving on-farm water use efficiency and
reduce the direct extraction of water from
water management areas. This program
will improve the long term sustainability of
regional communities by allowing irrigators
to adapt to reduced water availability and
update irrigation infrastructure.
Over the page, see the story of
Carlie Darling, Program Coordinator,
Sustaining the Basin–Irrigated Farm
Modernisation Program (STBIFM).
Dr Carlie Darling
Program Coordinator STBIFM
As Program Coordinator I work closely with
the management team to manage and
assist with program implementation tasks.
For a role like this you need excellent skills
in communication, financial management
and reporting, project management and
stakeholder activities and logistics.
This role has been quite a challenge, being
so different to my initial field of study. I
often find myself in a foreign environment
as a new project evolves, but my skills are
integral to bringing that project to life.
Working as a Program Coordinator for
DPI has provided me with a wealth of
opportunity in a dynamic work environment.
I love the diversity of my role and the
challenges it brings.
The workload is high volume and requires
meticulous attention to detail. This can
mean the job is high pressure at times, but it
keeps life interesting!
[email protected]
w w w. d p i . n s w . g o v . a u
“
To succeed in a career you need
drive, enthusiasm and a willingness
to go above and beyond what’s
required. Where possible volunteer
on research projects – the experience
will pay off.
“
Countless hours spent snorkelling, scuba
diving and fishing with my family and
friends in a coastal suburb of Sydney formed
my fascination with all things marine.
In 2000 I commenced a Bachelor of Marine
Science at the University of Sydney, which I
completed with Honours in 2004. I attained
my PhD from the University of Sydney
in 2008 for research on the ecology of
harvested turban snails on intertidal and
subtidal rocky reefs. (I was building up to
tagging Bull Sharks!)
Scientific Research » Careers in Primary Industries
There are endless employment opportunities
in our primary industries regardless of your
qualifications and experience. Likewise
a successful background working in our
primary industries sector can lead to many
other exciting and unexpected career
pathways.
Scientific research careers with NSW
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) include:
Throughout these studies I worked casually
for DPI on various recreational angling
research projects until 2009. Following a
shark attack in Sydney Harbour that year, I
transferred my marine ecology experience
to shark research.
»» Research and Innovation Officer
»» Aquatic Ecologist
»» Biodiversity Research Officer
»» Research Pathologist
My research interests have focused on
understanding, through the use of carefully
designed experiments, the movements,
distribution and abundance of animals.
Over the page, see the story of
Amy Smoothey, DPI Fisheries
Research Scientist.
More recently, I’ve coordinated research
projects to understand aspects of the biology
and ecology of commercially and recreationally
harvested sharks, particularly Bull Sharks in
estuarine and coastal waters of NSW. This
research will provide scientific-based guidelines
for minimising the risk of shark attacks
within Sydney Harbour and the east coast,
as well as some of the necessary information
to ensure species in NSW are managed in an
ecologically sustainable way. Another aspect
of my role is to assist with the investigation of
shark bites, by determining the species and
size of shark responsible for the incident.
This work is dynamic, it’s not 9 to 5. Sharks
are active around the clock and I travel to tag
them based on their seasonal movements. My
workdays are unpredictable and variable. While
I spend many hours outdoors, the job also
requires a lot of maths and report-writing.
My role involves representing DPI in the media
to educate and inform the public on being
‘SharkSmart’ – one element of our Shark
Management Strategy.
[email protected]
w w w. d p i . n s w. g o v. a u
Scientific researchers undertake strategic
research which underpins the growth,
sustainability and biosecurity of agriculture
and fisheries in NSW. Researchers have
expertise in a range of fields including
ecology, genetics, biology, physiology,
pathology, and climate.
Dr Amy Smoothey
Fisheries Research Scientist
32
SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 4