Available postgraduate projects

The Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) is seeking expressions of interest from outstanding candidates for a groundbreaking PhD project focused on methane monitoring using remote sensing and artificial intelligence (AI).

This exciting project offers a unique opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team comprising researchers from across the University and government agencies. The successful candidate will utilise cutting-edge Earth observation technologies, including satellites, drones, and AI-based analytical methods, to detect methane emission sources and quantify emission rates in the Beetaloo region of the Northern Territory, Australia.

The research will contribute to the development of a robust methane monitoring framework to support environmental stewardship, evidence-based decision-making, and sustainable resource development. The project will provide valuable training and experience at the intersection of remote sensing, geospatial science, environmental monitoring, and machine learning.

Scholarship and financial support

For Domestic Candidates:

• CDU RTP stipend ($35,489 per annum from 2026, indexed annually and tax exempt), for up to three years from commencement, open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens (domestic students).
• A stipend top-up of up to $18,000 per annum may be available.
• RTP Fee Offset (full tuition fee waiver) for three years.

For International Candidates:

• CDU RTP stipend ($35,489 per annum from 2026, indexed annually and tax exempt), for up to three years from commencement
• A stipend top-up of up to $18,000 per annum may be available.
• RTP Fee Offset (full tuition fee waiver) for three years.
• We note that RTP scholarships for international candidates are limited and highly competitive. To meet the eligibility criteria for this stipend, only international candidates with outstanding academic performance are encouraged to apply. 

About the project

Methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming, and anthropogenic sources are elevating atmospheric concentrations. Oil and gas development in the Beetaloo region of the Northern Territory of Australia will increase social and economic growth. However, it may also elevate methane levels, necessitating a robust monitoring program. This project will leverage satellite imagery and deep learning methods to detect methane plumes and quantify emission rates. The anticipated outcomes include the development of a methane monitoring tool that provides accurate detection rates and estimates at varied spatial and temporal scales. This project will feed into the Northern Territory Government-CDU regional monitoring program for the Beetaloo region, supporting the myriad stakeholders in the area. 

About you 

• You have a research background (Honours or Masters) in Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, Atmospheric Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, or similar field, and bring a high level of academic merit consistent with RTP stipend scholarship requirements
• Hold an Australian driving license or the capacity and willingness to obtain one
• Would ideally be based or willing to relocate to Darwin
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Curious and innovative
• Ability to work independently with a high level of initiative as well as collaboratively
• Attention to detail
• Commitment to research excellence

Benefits to you

• Take advantage of professional development training programs available for PhD students
• Play an integral role in a highly collaborative multidisciplinary research team
• Contribute to research with real-world impact
• Access to Student Support Services and Wellbeing Support Program
• Work with a University committed to changing people’s lives for the better through training, education, and research

Selection criteria 

• First Class Honours, MSc or equivalent containing a substantial research component in a relevant field such as Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, Atmospheric Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, or similar field
• Ability to undertake independent research
• Capacity to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research team
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capability
• Must meet the RTP domestic or international student requirements (as relevant)

How to apply

Email an expression of interest to Dr Richard Crabbe (richard.crabbe@cdu.edu.au), including:

• Cover email: Outlining your suitability (addressing the selection criteria) and why you’re interested in this project.
• Curriculum vitae: Including qualifications, relevant experience and information about up to 4 of your best publications with their quality indicators.
• Postgraduate transcripts: Showing grading scheme, GPA, and all thesis/research units
• Referees: Names and contact details of two academic referees

Application closing date 

12 July 2026 (11:59PM, ACST)

Commencement date 

Early 2027

Supervisory and Advisory Team 

Dr Richard Crabbe, Prof Lindsay Hutley and Prof Sami Azami

Enquiries 

Dr Richard Crabbe, richard.crabbe@cdu.edu.au, (08) 8946 6745

Diversity and Inclusion 

At CDU, we actively celebrate our diversity. We innovate, embrace new ideas, and act with courage and kindness. We’re about what we can give to the world rather than what we take, and we believe in the transformative power of education. We work hard to make sure every member of our university community feels that they truly belong. Understanding that it is through our focus on our people and leveraging our differences that will make CDU the most connected university in Australia, we are striving to ensure that our culture and our community are inclusive of all our staff, students and visitors. We are committed to maintaining a culture where everyone feels respected, safe, encouraged to speak up and supported in achieving their professional goals. You make CDU. And we want you to be exactly who you are.

View the project advertisement (PDF, 416.08 KB)

The Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) is seeking applicants for an exciting PhD project that will lead to the development of Indigenous-specific ecosystem services metrics and tools for nature-based economies to help Indigenous land owners/managers engage with nature-based economies and related markets. This project is an exciting opportunity to work with Indigenous land managers and develop incentivising tools that help protect biodiversity. 

Scholarship and financial support

• CDU RTP stipend ($35,489 per annum from 2026, indexed annually and tax exempt), for up to 3 years from commencement, open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens (domestic students).
• Fee waiver for three years.

About the project 

This project will build upon current ARC Discovery research, where nature-based economic opportunities were explored. In recent years, there has been a greater emphasis by the Australian Government on the Nature Repair Market. During the project, we developed the first-of-its-kind, ground-up nature-based economies framework, in collaboration with Indigenous peoples/Traditional Owners from across the north. This framework offers a list of ecological and socio-cultural indicators that can be used to assess ecosystems (Country in Indigenous ways of thinking) and people’s connections with their Country. However, to progress and achieve practical outcomes and impact from this research, we need to develop the metrics and tools for the identified indicators, which can then help landowners/managers build their own toolkit to participate in the Nature Repair Market. 

The research will enable Indigenous land managers and owners to talk directly with investors who want to invest in looking after the Country. Currently, there is no such metric or toolkit that suits Indigenous land managers/owners. This research will empower Indigenous groups to understand their Country and to participate effectively and actively in a fast-emerging Nature Repair Market.

About you 

• You have a research background (Honours or Masters) in ecological economics, ecosystem services, environmental science or similar, and bring a high level of academic merit consistent with RTP stipend scholarship requirements
• Hold an Australian driving license or the capacity to obtain one
• Would ideally be based in or willing to relocate to Darwin
• Can work independently with a high level of initiative

Benefits to you

• Receive generous support for project costs
• Play an integral role in a highly collaborative research team
• Contribute to research with real-world impact
• Access to Student Support Services and Wellbeing Support Program
• Work with a University committed to changing people’s lives for the better through training, education, and research

Selection criteria 

• First Class Honours, MSc or equivalent containing a substantial research component in a relevant field such as ecological economics, ecosystem services, environmental science, economics or similar field
• Must meet the RTP stipend requirements, including being either an Australian permanent resident or citizen, or a New Zealand citizen, with intention to be a domestic student

How to apply

Email an expression of interest to Professor Kamaljit Sangha (Kamaljit.Sangha@cdu.edu.au), including:

• A curriculum vitae, including a list of any peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and relevant work and/or research experience
• A brief statement, not exceeding 500 words, describing your background, research experience and interest in this research project/area
• Names and contact details of two academic referees

Application closing date 

11:59pm on 10 August 2026 

Commencement date 

Early 2027

Enquiries 

Professor Kamaljit K Sangha; Kamaljit.Sangha@cdu.edu.au, (08) 8946 6792

Diversity and Inclusion

At CDU, we actively celebrate our diversity. We innovate, embrace new ideas, and act with courage and kindness. We’re about what we can give to the world rather than what we take, and we believe in the transformative power of education. We work hard to make sure every member of our university community feels that they truly belong. Understanding that it is through our focus on our people and leveraging our differences that will make CDU the most connected university in Australia, we are striving to ensure that our culture and our community are inclusive of all our staff, students and visitors. We are committed to maintaining a culture where everyone feels respected, safe, encouraged to speak up and supported in achieving their professional goals. You make CDU. And we want you to be exactly who you are.

View the project advertisement (PDF, 444.2 KB)

Charles Darwin University's (CDU) Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) are seeking a PhD candidate to undertake a project on the ecology and management of feral cats on the Tiwi Islands, an important hotspot of biodiversity and endemism, and stronghold of Indigenous culture.

Scholarship and financial support

• Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship valued at $33,511 per annum (from 2025, indexed annually and tax exempt) for 3 years from commencement is open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens, to cover living costs.
• Scholarship 'top-up' of $10,000 per year for 3 years.
• Fee waiver for 3 years.
• University relocation allowance of up to $2,000 may also be available.

Project operational costs

Fully covered by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant.

About the project

The Indigenous-owned and managed lands of the Tiwi Islands, 80km north of Darwin, remain one of Australia's most important refuges for biodiversity, supporting healthy populations of many species that have declined severely on the mainland. However, feral cats are currently driving the decline of numerous Tiwi species. As a result, Tiwi Traditional Owners have identified feral cats as a ‘top threat to Tiwi values', and the Tiwi Land Council (TLC) is exploring options for feral cat management that are ecologically and economically feasible, and culturally appropriate.

The project focuses on improving our understanding seasonal variation in key aspects of feral cat ecology on the Tiwi Islands, especially movement, feeding and reproductive ecology. This ecological knowledge will be used to parameterise and validate process-explicit population models and evaluate different scenarios of cat management. The student will work closely with Tiwi Land Council personnel, Tiwi Rangers and Traditional Owners, to ensure that their research appropriately takes account of Tiwi perspectives and values, as well as Tiwi Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

The project forms part of a broader Australian Research Council Linkage project—Cat management guided by Country: integrating Indigenous perspectives into the management of feral animals—led by CDU, in partnership with the Tiwi Land Council. However, there is plenty of scope for the student to shape their project, in line with their own interests and skills.

Benefits to you

• Work within a highly collaborative environment, supported by Tiwi Land Council and CDU supervisors, with ample opportunity for professional development.
• Opportunity to work or travel to the remote and spectacular Tiwi Islands.
• Access to Student Support Services and Wellbeing Support Program.
• Work with a University committed to changing people's lives for the better through training, education, and research.

Essential selection criteria

• First Class Honours degree, or a Master's degree containing a substantial research component, in Ecology or similar field.
• Understanding of, and interest in, working with Indigenous people in Australia, and willingness to actively participate in collaborative cross-cultural research.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Willingness and ability to conduct remote fieldwork, and live and work in Darwin.
• Manual driver's licence.
• Must meet the RTP Stipend Scholarship requirements, including being either an Australian of New Zealand citizen, or permanent resident of Australia, and must meet the PhD course entry requirements at CDU.

How to apply

Email an Expression of Interest to Prof. Brett Murphy (brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au), including:

• 1-page cover letter, outlining your experience and research interests.
• A detailed CV, including details of publications (if any).
• Academic transcript.
• Names and contact details of two academic referees.

Application closing date

18 October 2024

Commencement date

Early 2025

Enquiries

Prof. Brett Murphy (brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au, phone: 0466 623 079) or Dr Hugh Davies (hdavie27@une.edu.au, phone: 0417 828 202)

Project advertisement (PDF, 349.57 KB)

Charles Darwin University's (CDU) Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) are seeking a PhD candidate to undertake a project based primarily in Darwin, that assesses the application of fine-scale fire management for conservation of threatened species and associated habitats in the Arnhem Plateau bioregion, a globally significant hotspot of biodiversity and endemism, and stronghold of Indigenous culture.

Scholarship and financial support

• Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship valued at $33,511 per annum (from 2025, indexed annually and tax exempt) for 3 years from commencement is open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens, to cover living costs.
• Scholarship 'top-up' of $10,000 per year for 3 years.
• Fee waiver for 3 years.
• University relocation allowance of up to $2,000 may also be available.

Project operational costs

Will be fully covered by an ARC Linkage grant.

About the project

Focusing on the Arnhem Plateau bioregion, the project will explore the benefits and feasibility of fine-scale fire management aimed conserving a range of threatened animal and plants species and ecological communities, especially those requiring long inter-fire intervals or fine-grained fire mosaics. Focal species and ecological communities will be identified as part of developing the study program. It is anticipated that project findings will contribute to the development of monitoring and assessment methods applicable to the Australian Government's new Nature Repair Market and other nature-based market instruments.

The project forms part of a broader Australian Research Council Linkage project—Transforming cultural and natural resource management workforce capabilities in Arnhem Land—led by CDU, in partnership with a range of research and land management organisations, including Indigenous organisations representing the region's Traditional Owners. Under this collaborative arrangement, the project will be jointly supervised through CDU, and by colleagues from partner organisations.

About you

• High level of academic merit, with a research background in Ecology or similar field.
• Understanding of, and interest in, working with Indigenous people in Australia, and willingness to actively participate in collaborative cross-cultural research.
• Willingness and ability to conduct remote fieldwork.

Benefits to you

• Generous stipend and support for project costs.
• Undertake fieldwork and travel in remote and spectacular regions of the Northern Territory.
• Play an integral role in a trans-disciplinary research team with ample opportunity for professional development.
• Your research will have real-world impact, by helping to improve land management.
• Work with project partners committed to improving people's wellbeing through training, education and research.

Essential selection criteria

• First Class Honours degree or a Master's degree containing a substantial research component.
• Must meet the RTP Stipend Scholarship requirements, including being either an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen.
• Must meet the PhD course entry requirements at CDU.
• Demonstrated experience undertaking remote fieldwork.

How to apply

Email an Expression of Interest to Prof. Brett Murphy (brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au), including:

• 1-page cover letter, outlining your experience and research interests.
• A detailed CV, including details of publications (if any).
• Academic transcript.
• Names and contact details of two academic referees.

Application closing date

18 October 2024

Commencement date

Early 2025

Enquiries

Prof. Brett Murphy (brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au, phone: 0466 623 079) or Prof. Jeremy Russell-Smith (jeremy.russell-smith@cdu.edu.au, phone: 0447 200 927).

Project advertisement (PDF, 358.79 KB)

Charles Darwin University & Territory Natural Resource Management

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate the establishment of a translocated population of a threatened small mammal species on a remote island in Northern Australia.

About the project

The PhD candidate will conduct research in conjunction with a translocation program to establish a population of the brush-tailed rabbit-rat on an island safe haven in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park (Cobourg Peninsula) in the Northern Territory. This is an exciting opportunity to conduct PhD research in a remote part of Australia working with scientists, park rangers and Traditional Owners on an important conservation initiative for one of Northern Australia's declining small mammals.

Research opportunities within the project involve:

• Ecological, demographic and genetic research to inform population models to assist with adaptive management of the translocated population.
• Comparing rabbit-rat populations on the island free from feral cats and feral herbivores with the mainland population on Cobourg Peninsula (where these threats are present) to gain greater insight into the impact of threatening processes on populations of declining native mammals.
• Dietary research using scat DNA metabarcoding, in conjunction with movement and habitat use data, to assess resource use and diet selection in a novel environment relative to source populations.
• Further research will be identified by the candidate.

Scholarship and supervision

The PhD candidate will be based in Darwin at the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Charles Darwin University and would need to successfully apply for an RTP scholarship prior to 12 April 2024 (approximately $32,192 p.a. tax free indexed annually). In addition, a top-up stipend of $10,000 p.a. will be provided. A relocation allowance of up to $2,000 is also available for RTP stipend recipients. The student will be supervised by Prof. Sam Banks, Assoc. Prof. Brett Murphy, and Dr Teigan Cremona at CDU, Dr Kelly Dixon at TNRM/CDU, and Assoc. Prof. Alex Kutt at NT Government DEPWS.

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for this opportunity, you must be eligible for a government funded Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship, have received first class Honours or equivalent, and have demonstrated remote fieldwork experience, preferably with small mammals. Experience in genetics, operating four-wheel drive vehicles (with a manual drivers' licence), working in sometimes challenging environments, and working with First Nations people is highly desirable, as is project management experience or transferable skills. The fieldwork component for this PhD opportunity will involve a significant amount of walking through remote, unmarked terrain, camping with limited or no amenities, and exposure to extreme weather conditions.

Application procedure

For information on the PhD program at CDU, please contact either Sam Banks (sam.banks@cdu.edu.au) or Brett Murphy (brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au).
For further information about enrolment eligibility please contact research.degrees@cdu.edu.au.
To express your interest in the project, please send a CV of no more than two pages and cover letter addressing the criteria to Kelly Dixon, kelly.dixon@territorynrm.org.au

We will be accepting applications until Sunday 17 March 2024.

Charles Darwin University's (CDU) Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) is offering a scholarship for a PhD candidate to undertake a project, based in Darwin, on improving desert fire management with culturally directed science.

Scholarship and financial support

Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship valued at $32,192 per annum (2024 value; indexed annually) plus up to $6,000 per annum top-up, for 3 years from commencement is open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens.

The University will also support Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students by providing RTP Scholarship recipients with a University Relocation Allowance. In 2023, this allowance is up to $2,000.

About the project

Aboriginal people have used fire in Australia’s spinifex deserts for thousands of years. These practices were disrupted by European colonisation, and the resulting shift in fire regimes contributed to the profound biodiversity losses that have occurred in the deserts over the past 250 years. Many Indigenous groups now seek to restore or strengthen ‘right-way fire’ practices, to meet inter-related social, cultural and biodiversity objectives.

The PhD project will be embedded in an Australian Research Council Linkage project that uses culturally directed science to examine the effects of fire and its management on desert species, to support Indigenous rangers with their adaptive management and reporting on fire management outcomes. The project is desktop-based but the student will spend time with the four ranger groups involved in the project, who will be integral to shaping the direction of the project.

This project is part of a close collaboration between several ranger groups in the northwestern deserts (Karajarri, Ngurrara, Nyangumarta, Ngururrpa), the Indigenous Desert Alliance, Environs Kimberley, and CDU. It will use culturally directed science to improve our understanding of how fire patterns have changed in the desert since European colonisation. This knowledge will be used by the ranger teams to set fire regime targets that are locally and culturally meaningful. The project will reconstruct historical fire patterns in the northwestern deserts using archived aerial photos from the 1940s and 1950s (when Aboriginal people were still living on their desert Country, and actively managing fire with traditional burning practices). These historical fire patterns will be compared to contemporary fire patterns (described using satellite imagery), to examine:

• The spatial patterns (e.g. the mosaic grain-size) that characterised fire regimes produced by traditional fire practices, and the differences with contemporary fire regimes.
• How the rainfall gradient of the project area (200 to 600 mm mean annual rainfall) affects these fire patterns.
• How the cultural use of sites affected historical fire patterns (by comparing differences in historical fire patterns near and far from sites of high cultural and resource use, identified by Traditional Owners).

About you

• You bring a high level of academic merit and research background that meets the RTP Stipend Scholarship requirements (see https://www.cdu.edu.au/research-and-innovation/higher-degree-research/scholarships).
• Strong ability to work independently and show a high level of initiative.
• Experience with spatial analysis and capacity to plan and implement logistically complex analyses.
• An interest in and experience working closely and respectfully with Indigenous people.
• A willingness to conduct remote area fieldwork if required.

Benefits to you

• You will be an integral part of a cross-sector research team with exposure to University, NGO and Indigenous controlled organisations, providing ample opportunity for professional development as well as career progression following completion of the PhD.
• Work on a unique research project where Indigenous knowledge and culture can influence future ecological management practices in some of Australia’s most vital ecosystems for biodiversity and threatened species.
• Opportunity to travel extensively in the remote and spectacular regions of Northern Territory and Western Australia.
• Access to Student Support Services and Wellbeing Support Program.
• Work with a University committed to changing people’s lives for the better through training, education, and research.

Essential selection criteria

• Per the RTP scholarship conditions the candidate must be either an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen.
• First-class Honours degree or a Masters degree containing a substantial research component in a relevant field.
• Cultural sensitivity and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Strong analytical skills.

Application process

• Interested applicants should contact Sarah Legge by email at sarah.legge@cdu.edu.au
• Please attach a CV and a 1-2 page cover letter outlining your interest in the project, your research interests, your experience, addressing the above selection criteria and including any other relevant information
• Please note that applications will be assessed as they are received, and the preferred applicant will be invited to apply for a PhD enrolment online by 31st October 2023. We encourage early application.

Commencement date

The project is expected to commence in early 2024.

Supervisory Team

The supervisory team will be drawn from CDU Researchers, Prof Sarah Legge, Prof Brett Murphy and Prof Sam Banks, plus at least two external supervisors from the project partner groups.

Diversity and Inclusion

At CDU, we actively celebrate our diversity. We innovate, embrace new ideas, and act with courage and kindness. We’re about what we can give to the world rather than what we take, and we believe in the transformative power of education. We work hard to make sure every member of our university community feels that they truly belong. Understanding that it is through our focus on our people and leveraging our differences that will make CDU the most connected university in Australia, we are striving to ensure that our culture and our community are inclusive of all our staff, students and visitors. We are committed to maintaining a culture where everyone feels respected, safe, encouraged to speak up and supported in achieving their professional goals. You make CDU. And we want you to be exactly who you are.

Supervisor(s): Brett Murphy, Patricia Werner (ANU)

Project suitable for: Honours

Project summary

Northern Australian savannas are experiencing a rapid loss of biodiversity, and altered fire regimes may be to blame.

It has been suggested that highly flammable annual native grasses, especially Sorghum spp. (spear-grasses), have increased in abundance and fuelling high frequencies of intense fires. This hypothesised phenomenon is an example of a grass–fire cycle.

This project will evaluate this hypothesis, by re-visiting a number of sites in the lowland savannas of Kakadu National Park, that were previously surveyed in the late 1980s.

The dataset from the 1980s includes measurements of grass biomass and assessment of the dominant grass species, and similar measurements will be made now. This data will allow us to evaluate whether grass biomass and grass layer diversity have changed over 30 years, and in particular whether Sorghum has become more dominant.

Funding info: Funded. No top-up.

Closing date: Open

For more information, email brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au

Area of research strength: Savanna & Arid Ecology

Supervisor(s): Professor Sam Banks, Molecular Ecology group (https://sambanks.weebly.com/)

Project suitable for: PhD, Masters or Honours

Project summary

Molecular ecology uses methods in genomics and ecology to understand biodiversity and how it responds to environmental change.

My group is seeking students to work on projects that use laboratory genomics, computer simulation modelling and field-based ecology to contribute to the knowledge and conservation of northern Australian vertebrates.

We are interested in broad-scale patterns of biogeography of native mammals across this region, as well as understanding impacts of major ecological processes (such as fire regimes, climate and refugia) on the ecology and persistence of species across this region.

Funding info: tbc

Closing date: Open

Area of research strength:Biodiversity Conservation, Savanna & Arid Ecology

Supervisor(s): A/Professor Brett Murphy

Project suitable for: PhD, Masters or Honours

Project summary

Our research investigates the sustainable management of tropical savanna landscapes. We are seeking passionate and skilled students to work on projects that explore how fire has shaped and maintains the biota of tropical savannas, and how contemporary fire regimes can best be managed for biodiversity conservation, especially in relation to declining small mammals and fire-sensitive vegetation communities.

Funding info: tbc

Closing date: Open

For more information, email brett.murphy@cdu.edu.au

Research group: Tropical Savanna Ecology

Area of research strength:Biodiversity Conservation, Savanna & Arid Ecology