Available postgraduate projects
A postgraduate degree with the Research Institute for Northern Agriculture (RINA) gives you the opportunity to work on real research projects that make a difference to agriculture across northern Australia. You’ll join an active research team at Charles Darwin University, tackling challenges shaped by industry and the region.
We offer a range of postgraduate research opportunities. If a project interests you, please contact the listed supervisor. If you don’t see the right fit, you’re welcome to get in touch with a RINA researcher to discuss your research interests and potential topics.
You can also explore the CDU prospective research students page and view the available scholarships page. Additional postgraduate opportunities are available through the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods
Tropical biosecurity
CSIRO iPhD Opportunity: Understanding gene flow and resistance in an emerging cotton pest in Northern Australia
Charles Darwin University (CDU) and CSIRO are partnering to offer an exciting PhD opportunity focused on population genetics and Bt resistance in the emerging cotton pest Spodoptera litura. The successful candidate will commence in 2026.
Scholarship and financial support:
- $41,190* ($34,190 + $7000 top-up) per annum tax-exempt stipend, indexed annually
- 3 to 3.5 years duration
- Open to Australian citizens/residents or New Zealand citizens for domestic enrolment
- Includes a generous research budget
- University relocation allowance of up to $2,000 may be available
About the project:
Cotton production in Northern Australia is expanding rapidly, but the region differs markedly from the southern cotton production areas, particularly in climate, cropping systems, and pest management practices. These differences likely shape the biology, movement, and resistance profile of key insect pests, yet there is very limited empirical data to validate this. Understanding the risks posed by northern production systems is essential to ensuring that the Resistance Management Plan (RMP) continues to minimise the evolution of Bt resistance in cotton pest species across Australia. A major knowledge gap relates to Spodoptera spp., particularly S. litura, an emerging pest in northern landscapes. Little is known about its life history in Australian cotton systems, patterns of dispersal and gene flow, current and potential pesticide resistance or role in broader landscape-level dynamics. This PhD project will provide the first comprehensive assessment of S. litura population structure, movement, and resistance development across Northern Australian cotton landscapes.
The research will form the foundation for future modelling and management strategies, helping industry anticipate and mitigate emerging pest risks. This is an excellent opportunity to work at the interface of molecular ecology, agricultural biosecurity, and sustainable pest management, with strong support from both CDU, CSIRO, CRDC and industry.
Benefits to you:
- Generous stipend and support for project costs.
- Training and experience in population genomics, data analysis and modelling.
- Integral part of a multidisciplinary research team providing ample opportunity for professional development.
- 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:
- Must be eligible for admission to the PhD program at Charles Darwin University
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen
- Have First-Class Honours or equivalent in Molecular Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Bioinformatics or a related field
- Be available to commence the PhD in 2026
- Living in or willing to relocate to Darwin
Highly desirable:
- Experience in molecular or genomics or bioinformatics
- At least one publication in a recognised peer-reviewed journal
- Experience with fieldwork
Location:
The successful candidate will be expected to spend time at both CDU and CSIRO, but will primarily be based at CDU Darwin, Northern Territory.
How to apply:
Email an expression of interest to Maxine Piggott (maxine.piggott@cdu.edu.au), including:
- A curriculum vitae, including the name and contact details of two academic referees
- A brief statement describing your background, research experience and interest in this research project
Application closing date:
Open until filled
Supervisory and Advisory Team:
Maxine Piggott (CDU), Amanda Padovan (CSIRO)
Enquiries:
For more information on the research project, please contact:
- Amanda Padovan (Research Scientist, Agriculture and Food, CSIRO Canberra)phone (02) 6246 4156, email amanda.Padovan@csiro.au, or
- Maxine Piggott (Professor of Tropical Biosecurity, Charles Darwin University, Darwin)phone (08) 8946 6763, email maxine.piggott@cdu.edu.au
Download the complete PhD program advertisement document here:
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.
Insects as Recorders of Biodiversity and Reservoirs of Disease: Using metagenomics to study wildlife and disease risk on northern Australian islands
Scholarship and financial support:
- 3 years full-time appointment
- Darwin
- Domestic Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend
- $44,190 per annum tax free
About the opportunity:
Charles Darwin University has a scholarship available for an exciting PhD project aligned with two distinctive research programs on the biosecurity of northern Australia and the biodiversity of offshore islands. The PhD will use cutting-edge genetic tools to analyse insect blood meals as a novel way to uncover hidden patterns of biodiversity and track potential disease risks in northern Australia. By identifying the animals that insects feed on, you will gain unique insights into the presence and movements of wildlife across diverse landscapes, while also monitoring vectors that may carry pathogens affecting people, livestock, and ecosystems. The project offers the opportunity to develop advanced skills in molecular ecology, bioinformatics, and field ecology, while contributing directly to biodiversity conservation and biosecurity. This PhD project is based at Charles Darwin University and will work closely with partners on an ARC-funded project on the biodiversity of the Northern Territory's offshore island estate, including remote communities, ranger groups and Land Councils. You will help pioneer approaches that integrate biodiversity discovery with disease surveillance, building knowledge critical for safeguarding northern Australia’s unique environment and communities.
About you:
- First-Class Honours or equivalent in Molecular Biology, Ecology, Genetics, or a related field
- Strong skills in molecular laboratory methods (e.g., DNA/RNA extraction, PCR/qPCR, sequencing library preparation)
- Willingness to participate in extended periods of remote fieldwork
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen (domestic student)
Desirable criteria:
- At least one publication in a recognised peer-reviewed journal
- Background in entomology, wildlife ecology, or vector biology
- Experience with bioinformatics or willingness to learn (metabarcoding, sequence analysis, data management)
- Experience with remote fieldwork
How to apply:
- A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability (max two pages).
- A curriculum vitae, including a list of any peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and relevant work and/or research experience.
Application closing date:
Open until filled
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send an expression of interest and a CV to Professor Maxine Piggott at maxine.piggott@cdu.edu.au. For more information, please contact Maxine on 08 8946 6763. Note: The supervisor will invite applicants who pass the expression of interest stage to submit scholarship applications before the closing date. Please do not submit any applications unless you are invited by the supervisor.
Download the complete PhD program advertisement document here:
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.
Tropical aquaculture
Cropping Systems
Sustainable pastoral systems
Elucidating diet composition to improve greenhouse gas emission estimates for cattle in the northern Australia rangelands
About the project:
Native pastures of northern Australia are botanically diverse, supporting hundreds of species of grasses, forbs, trees and shrubs. Species have different nutritive value, digestibility and some have anti-methanogenic properties. Current carrying capacity methodology assumes cattle eat only the herbaceous layer of vegetation including grasses and forbs, but in many environments, such as in Central Australia and the Victoria River District, trees and shrubs are known to contribute a significant component of the diet through browse. However, which species they are eating and under what conditions is not well known. Current methods used to assess non-grass dietary components are of limited use in detecting browse in northern Australia. This PhD is part of a larger Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC project -Low Methane Feedbase Program- which aims to quantify the anti-methanogenic properties of northern Australian vegetation, but this information will be of limited applicability without knowing how these species currently contribute to cattle diets across northern Australia. Greenhouse gas emission estimates cannot be truly representative for the system without this.
This PhD will use field collected data, including faecal environmental DNA, to understand the contribution of different plant species in the diets of cattle in northern Australia. The student will then use these data along with anti-methanogenic compound concentrations and nutritional value data to test current greenhouse gas estimates for Australia’s north. This PhD is an excellent opportunity to work closely with government and industry partners including researchers from the Northern Territory Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The student will ideally be based in Darwin or Alice Springs.
Project benefits:
- $44,190 per year stipend ($34, 190 RTP stipend + $10k top up)
- Relocation allowance ($2k)
About you:
Essential skills and experience:
- Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident
- Honours or Masters degree containing a substantial research component in a relevant field such as agriculture, environmental science or similar
- Australian driving license or the capacity to easily get one
- Experience collecting field samples
- Ability and willingness to travel to regional and remote locations
Desirable skills and experience:
- Experience with molecular techniques and/or environmental DNA analysis
- Modelling experience using greenhouse gas, crop, or animal models
How to apply:
Please provide:
- 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 in length that explains why you are interested in this research project/area
Send these documents to Beth Penrose (beth.penrose@cdu.edu.au).
For more information, please email Beth or contact her on 0436 839 662
Application closing date:
Open until filled
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.