Position Details
Job Title:
CSIRO Undergraduate Vacation Scholarships – Land and Water
Reference No:
1361
Classification:
CSOF1.1
Stipend:
$1462.77 per fortnight
Location:
Please refer to the List of Projects at the end of this document
Tenure:
8 to 12 weeks from November 2015 to February 2016
Role Purpose:
The 2015/16 Vacation Scholarship Program is designed to provide students
with the opportunity to work on real-world problems in a leading R&D
organisation.
Participation in the Vacation Scholarship Program has influenced previous
scholarship holders in their choice of further study and future career options.
Many have gone on to pursue a PhD in CSIRO or to build a successful
research career within CSIRO, a university or industry.
Project
Description:
How to Apply:
Please refer to the list of Projects on the following pages of this document.
If you require further information please contact the person listed as the
contact for the project.
Please apply for this position online at www.csiro.au/careers
You will be required to:
1. select your top 2 research projects (from the list below) in order of
preference;
2. submit a CV which includes:

the reasons why the research project/s you have selected are of
interest to you; and how your previous skills/knowledge and
experience meets the project requirements; and

an outline your longer-term career aspirations and detail how
this program will help you achieve them.
3. upload your academic results.
Referees: Please ensure that your resume includes the name and contact
details of your academic supervisor and at least one other referee (work or
university).
If you experience difficulties applying online call 1300 984 220 and someone
will be able to assist you. Outside business hours please email: csirocareers@csiro.au.
Please do not email your application. Applications received via this method
may not be considered.
About CSIRO:
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
is Australia’s national science agency. At CSIRO we shape the future. We do
this by using science to solve real issues. Our research makes a difference to
industry, people and the planet.
Project
Number
LW01
Land and Water – Vacation Scholarships Project Details
Project Title
Fauna activity at wetland sites undergoing restoration using environmental flows: analysis of
images recorded by time‐lapse and motion‐sensing wildlife cameras
Project Description
This project will extract and analyse data from images captured over two years at wetlands
in western NSW to examine relationships between fauna presence, fauna activity levels,
environmental watering and other environmental factors.
Project Duties/Tasks



Extract fauna and environmental data from images recorded by timelapse
and motion‐sensing cameras
Assist with analysis of the data to answer ecological questions of both
scientific and management interest
Assist with writing a scientific journal paper
Relevant Fields of Study

Ecology

Environmental Science

Natural Resource Management
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Dr Heather McGinness on (02) 6246 4136 / 0428124689 or email
Heather.McGinness@csiro.au
LW02
Project Title
Cloud-based collaborative authoring
Project Description
As part of a broader program of work in environmental informatics, the Knowledge
Integration Team is looking to identify a fit-for-purpose cloud-based scientific authoring
platform. This project aims to identify the requirements for such a platform, review existing
third-party solutions against those requirements, and provide recommendations.
Project Duties/Tasks

Using structured interviews with CSIRO staff, develop a list of requirements for a
comprehensive collaborative scientific authoring tool.

Using these requirements, identify and review a number of potential cloud-based
solutions

Provide a detailed critical analysis of the solutions and their fitness-for-purpose.
Relevant Fields of Study

IT, Business Analysis

Technical Writing
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Becky Schmidt on (02) 6246 5923 or email Becky.Schmidt@csiro.au (email
preferred)
LW03
Project Title
Development of a generic framework for integration of Oznome data providers
Project Description
The Oznome initiative aims to provide a digital representation of everything, past present
and future. In order to do this, new data streams will need to be integrated into the
Oznome ecosphere in a standardised way. Additionally there exists an enormous volume of
legacy data currently owned, governed and exposed at various levels of detail and
sophistication that will also need to be integrated into Oznome.
Project Duties/Tasks

Work under direction to understand user needs for adding data services to Oznome

Work under direction to design a generic adapter framework on which to build more
specific adapter tools

Implement a test of an adapter tool for a specific data service
Relevant Fields of Study

Computer Science

Software Engineering
Location: Dutton Park, Brisbane, Qld
Contact: Matt Stenson on (07) 3833 5590 or email matthew.stenson@csiro.au (email
preferred)
LW04
Project Title
Evaluation of multiple optimisation algorithms for system calibration of a river system
model.
Project Description
The main objective of the project is to select the most suitable optimisation algorithm for
system wide calibration of a large river system model. A multiple optimisers will be trialled
in a test case of AWRA-R river system model to determine the most suitable and
computationally efficient optimiser.
Project Duties/Tasks

Develop understanding of AWRA-R river system model, system calibration and
optimisation algorithms

Multiple model runs with different optimisers

Analysis of the model results
Relevant Fields of Study

Computer Engineering

Information Technology

Civil Engineering
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Jai Vaze on (02) 6246 5871 or email jai.vaze@csiro.au /
Dushmanta.dutta@csiro.au
LW05
Project Title
Calibrating hydrological models using Cloud-Based services
Project Description
The work would involve the development and testing of cloud based IT infrastructure for
the purpose of calibrating hydrological models. Calibrating hydrological models involves
computationally intensive algorithms that run a hydrological model many times in search of
parameters that generate simulated stream-flows that best match observed stream-flows.
Project Duties/Tasks

Software development

Conducting and evaluating experiments

Preparing results for manuscripts
Relevant Fields of Study

Computer Science

Software Engineering

Hydrology
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Dave Penton on (02) 6246 5822 or email Dave.Penton@csiro.au (email preferred)
LW06
Project Title
Understanding South Asia hydroclimate
Project Description
Aligned with broader work, this project aims to improve the scientific communities
understanding the water balance of several Himalayan catchments in South Asia. The
project involves review of literature on conceptual hydrology / cryosphere models,
computer modelling, and spatial analysis of remotely sensed rainfall products.
Project Duties/Tasks

Review of literature on conceptual hydrology / cryosphere models

Conducting and evaluating experiments on Nepal/Pakistan climate data

Preparing results for manuscripts
Relevant Fields of Study

Hydrology

Computer Science

Geoinformatics
Location: Clayton, Melbourne, VIC; OR Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT
Contact: Luis Neumann on (03) 9252 6224 or email luis.neumann@csiro.au
LW07
Project Title
Hydrological dashboard using Cloud-Based services and Sensor technologies
Project Description
The work would involve the development and testing of cloud based IT infrastructure for
the purpose of communicating hydrological model results. The dashboard will visualise a
range of dynamic water information from river models and sensor products.
Project Duties/Tasks

Software development

Conducting and evaluating experiments

Preparing results for manuscripts
Relevant Fields of Study
 Computer Science

Software Engineering

Hydrology
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Qifeng Bai on (02) 6246 5704 or email Bai.Qifeng@csiro.au (email preferred)
LW08
Project Title
Freshwater phytoplankton bio-optical relationships
Project Description
This project will focus on understanding the variability in phytoplankton absorption as a
function of phytoplankton size and pigment composition. It serves as basic input for a
simulation framework for Lake Burley Griffin, ACT.
Project Duties/Tasks

Processes available phytoplankton composition, size and optics data.

Develop phytoplankton bio-optical relationships

Prepare a report/manuscript detailing the bio-optical relationships
Relevant Fields of Study

Environmental studies

Bio-optics

Remote sensing

Freshwater phytoplankton

Biogeochemical modelling.
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Klaus Joehnk on (02) 6246 5636 or email klaus.joehnk@csiro.au
LW09
Project Title
Simulating thermal stratification and biogeochemistry in Lake Burley Griffin
Project Description
Based on over 30 years of lake monitoring data a one-dimensional, general lake modelling
tool (GLM) will be adapted to Lake Burley Griffin, ACT. This will support further model
development and decision making in terms of harmful algal bloom conditions in the lake.
Project Duties/Tasks

Implement the lake simulation tool GLM for Lake Burley Griffin

Calibrate and validate simulation output with measurements

Run and visualize basic future global change scenarios
Relevant Fields of Study

Engineering

Environmental studies
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Klaus Joehnk on (02) 6246 5636 or email klaus.joehnk@csiro.au
LW10
Project Title
Converting an ecological simulation model to an open source format
Project Description
Through this project, the student will convert key elements of a CSIRO aquatic ecological
model to an open source community platform, with the intent of making it available to
other scientists and students and compatible with other modelling systems.
Project Duties/Tasks

Learn about aquatic ecological modelling and become familiar with the CSIRO
model code in C++

Download and become familiar with FABM (Framework for Aquatic Biogeochemical
Modelling) and its use with other model systems.

Adapt the CSIRO model so that it can be used within the FABM framework. This will
require some familiarity with C++ and Fortran 90, though this may be developed
during the course of the project.
Relevant Fields of Study

Computer Science

Environmental Engineering
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Barbara Robson on (02) 6246 5614 or email barbara.robson@csiro.au
LW11
Project Title
Environmental Flows
Project Description
Using ecological modelling, this project aims to identify indicator species and their
hydrological associations for determining the outcome of alternate flow regimes. It will use
modelling to assess outcomes resulting from different flow scenarios in the Murray-Darling
Basin.
Project Duties/Tasks


Compile and format the data to a format suitable for analysis
Undertake some supervised ecological modelling for determining the outcomes of
changes in flow regimes.
Relevant Fields of Study

Environmental Sciences
Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Contact: Danial Stratford on (02) 6246 5993 or email danial.stratford@csiro.au