POSITION DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow - UQ Solar (Economic Analysis

of Solar and Storage Systems)

Organisation Unit:

Global Change Institute

Position Number:

3027217

Type of Employment:

Full Time, fixed term for 3 years

Classification:

Academic Research Level A or B


BACKGROUND

Organisational Environment
The Federal Governments 2012 Excellence in Research for Australia exercise confirmed The
University of Queensland as one of the nations top three universities, measured by the quality of its
comprehensive range of specialised research fields. ERA reported that research at UQ is well above
world standard in more specialised fields than at any other Australian university: this reflects UQs
leading global role in many areas of discovery. UQs outstanding critical mass offers researchers
significant interdisciplinary capability.

UQ integrates its research strengths with excellent teaching and learning and has won more national
teaching awards than any other Australian university. International university rankings highlight UQs
excellence: Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Jiao Tong), Times Higher
Education, and QS all rank UQ in the top 100. UQ is one of Australias Group of Eight, and a
founding member of Universitas 21, an international consortium of leading research-intensive
universities.

UQs 45,500-strong student community includes more than 10,000 postgraduate scholars and more
than 11,000 international students from 162 countries. The University has more than 7,000 academic
and professional staff and a $1.6 billion annual operating budget. Its major campuses are at St Lucia,
Ipswich, Gatton and Herston, in addition to teaching and research sites around Queensland and
Brisbane city. The University has six faculties and eight institutes. The institutes funded by
government and industry grants, philanthropy and commercialisation activities have built scale and
focus in research areas that UQ regards as strategically important.

Global Change Institute
Global change is the hallmark of our age understanding and responding to global change is more
important than ever. Our world is changing at an unprecedented scale and speed through natural
causes and human activity, and is influenced by diverse and interacting issues such as climate change;
population change; technological innovation; resource security, and; impacts on biodiversity and
natural ecosystems. A changing climate, an exponentially expanding human population and an ever
growing demand for resources create challenges for the environment and in food production, energy,
health and access to clean water on local, national and global scales.
One of the great associated challenges is managing this complexity across different temporal and
spatial scales. Getting this right is an imperative and has ramifications for ecosystem health, social
resilience and economic prosperity.

The University of Queensland has extensive expertise in all these areas and has established the Global
Change Institute (GCI) to provide leadership, engagement and advocacy in the area of global change,
and to harness the expertise available to find innovative solutions in a multi-disciplinary, integrated
manner.

The Institutes mission is To advance discovery, and create and promote solutions that influence high
level political and social changes that address the challenges presented by a changing climate
technology and population. In meeting this mission, the Global Change Institute delivers high-
impact, game changing research that provides solutions to global change challenges facing the
world. It does this through high-level engagement and partnerships internally using the University of
Queenslands expert knowledge base, and externally through national, regional and international
collaboration.

A key component of the GCIs role is to engage with government, industry and the community to
promote research and discovery, to advocate the importance of coordinated and integrated approaches
to finding solutions and to transfer knowledge and technologies to the public. With a unique mix of
skills and expertise, it also acts as a think-tank in which new ideas can flourish and expand.
Established at the Universitys St Lucia campus, the GCI has links to all Faculties, Institutes and
Research Centres of the University as well as to an extensive network of national and international
collaborators.
Information about the Global Change Institute may be accessed on the Institutes website at
www.gci.uq.edu.au.
UQ Solar AGL Solar PV EIF Research Infrastructure Project

UQ Solar is a new initiative which coordinates several large PV and Solar Thermal research projects
at the University of Queensland. UQ Solar is administered through the Global Change Institute and is
a key part of the GCI Renewable Energy Focal Area. The AGL EIF Research Infrastructure Project is
a partnership between UQ and UNSW funded by the Federal Department of Education. The aim of
the Project is to support and enhance the early stage commissioning and operations of the Nyngan and
Broken Hill utility-scale PV plants (total 159MW) to be built in NSW by AGL and First Solar and
funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the New South Wales Government. The EIF
Project will deploy $40.7M of research infrastructure for systems level PV research basic science,
engineering and energy economics. The centrepiece of the infrastructure will be a 3.275MW PV
research pilot plant and associated MW h battery research station to be built at UQs Gatton Campus.
In addition, two state-of-the-art power systems laboratories will be created at UQs main St Lucia
campus and UNSWs Kensington campus. An energy economics laboratory and data hub will also be
built at UQ St Lucia. The infrastructure will be in place by the end of 2014 and the associated
research program will start mid-2014.

Information for Prospective Staff
Further information about the position can be found at http://www.gci.uq.edu.au/projects/coral-reef-
ecosystem-research-opportunities.



DUTY STATEMENT

Primary Purpose of Position
The Postdoctoral Research Fellow position will be responsible for developing and implementing a
research program on the various economic impacts that solar PV systems and storage have on the
distribution network and national electricity markets. The position will specifically focus on the
research agenda of the AGL Solar PV EIF Research Infrastructure Project.

Duties
Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Research related tasks:

Development of appropriate research plans;
Acquisition and analysis of field data and the development of appropriate systems-level
models;
Development of new research methodologies;
Writing up research work for publication, averaging 2-3 papers per year as first author,
publications will be related to the project conducted in consultation with the Project Director
Making presentations at national and international conferences and similar events;
Assisting in the development of new research techniques and methods;
Be willing to spend periods in the field if required by research objectives.

2. To contribute to teaching and to be involved in the assessment of student knowledge including
assisting in the supervision of student projects and in the development of student research skills.

3. To work in collaboration with colleagues as appropriate to the field of study including:

Contributing to collaborative decision making within the research group;
Contributing to the production of collaborative research reports and publications.
Preparing papers and presenting information on research progress and outcomes to bodies
supervising research, e.g. steering groups.

4. To assist with the preparation of proposals and applications to external bodies.

5. To use research resources, laboratories and workshops as appropriate and to take responsibility
for conducting risk assessments to a standard set by both UQ and the GCI safety officer, reducing
hazards and for the health and safety of others.

6. To engage in continuous professional development and to be responsible for continually updating
knowledge and understanding in field of study or specialism and for developing skills. A
successful candidate will use this position as a stepping stone to further develop their career.

7. Undertake other duties as specified by the Director, UQ Solar.


Other
Comply with the Universitys Code of Conduct (see the Universitys web site at
http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/?page=24987)
Comply with requirements of Queensland occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation
and related OH&S responsibilities and procedures developed by the University or School.
(see the Universitys web site at http://www.uq.edu.au/ohs/index.html?page=133956)
Adopt sustainable practices in all work activities and comply with associated legislation and
related sustainability responsibilities and procedures developed by the University (see the
Universitys web site at http://www.uq.edu.au/sustainability/responsibilities

Reporting Relationships
The position reports to the Director of UQ Solar (currently Professor Paul Meredith) and Professor
John Foster (head of the UQ Energy Economics Group and co-Director GCI Renewable Energy Focal
Area).


SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications

Essential

Completion of a PhD or equivalent in a related field of study (economics, mathematics,
network engineering)
Experience
Essential

Experience in economic modelling of renewable energy systems
Experience in working in an interdisciplinary team
Strong quantitative skills, with a sound knowledge of state-of-the-art statistical modelling.

Desirable

Experience in management and manipulation of large data sets

Personal Qualities

Essential
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Able to communicate material of specialist or highly technical nature.
Able to manage research and administrative activities and to balance the competing pressures
of research and administrative demands and deadlines.
Able to liaise with colleagues and students and fulfil a mentoring role for post-graduate
students.
Able to build contacts and participate in internal and external networks for the exchange of
information and collaboration.
Able to identify potential sources of funding.
Actively participate as a member of a research team
Engage in continuous professional development.
Understand equal opportunity issues as they may impact on areas of research content.


The University of Queensland is an equal opportunity employer.

Smoking is prohibited in all University buildings.