This is a PhD scholarship funded by industry partnerships in collaboration with Traditional Custodians, to establish a national Biocultural Landscape Plan, focusing on designation processes and monitoring practices for Culturally Significant Entities
Aim
The successful candidate will codesign and collaborate with Indigenous research users, have relevant experience/ knowledge in working with Indigenous communities and stakeholders in right-way science principles including:
- Indigenous-led governance processes and methodologies
- Capacity building, training pathways for Indigenous communities
- Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property protocols
- Data sharing and data sovereignty agreements
Transparent sharing of knowledge within Indigenous communities and external parties as determined by the governing Aboriginal Corporation
Objectives
Key activity of the project:
- Determine priority Culturally Significant Entities (CSE) for monitoring and collaborative management approaches.
- Identification of Indigenous community priorities for Culturally Significant Entities; species and ecological communities.
- Identification of key threats and/or threatening processes impacting on the persistence of CSE.
- Identification and mapping of key habitat and/or cultural sites for CSE.
- Identification of potential impact(s) to CSE and actions to address impacts.
- Development of local Indigenous biocultural objectives and place-based measures for project evaluation
Significance
An Indigenous-led Biocultural Landscape Plan will provide a framework that industry can use to engage with Indigenous communities moving toward genuine co-management of Country.
Ideal Candidate
This PhD opportunity is aimed at candidates with an Environmental science background who are interested in collaboration with Indigenous research users and who have experience/knowledge, or interest in working with Indigenous communities. In addition, the ideal candidate must meet the following criteria:
1. Applicants must hold a First or Upper Second-Class Honours, or a Masters degree in a related field (Environmental Sciences, Indigenous Knowledges) with a Merit and a minimum average grade of 60% and substantial research component.
2. Applicants must be personable, work well under supervision and autonomously when required and be willing to work in a collaborative environment.
3. Applicants must demonstrate:
a. excellent understanding of and interest in linkage between human and ecological health.
b. a strong aptitude for working in a collaborative team environment, working with Indigenous communities, conducting field trips, and proficiently conducting data analyses.
c. good understanding of ecological sciences and right-way science.
d. excellent written and communication skills, and
e. a strong aptitude for scientific writing and publication.
4. Applicants must not be engaged in full-time employment, or be subject to an obligation with another party to provide that party with any intellectual property rights during the course of their research
5. This project is open to Full time enrolled Domestic applicants only.
Scholarship
This scholarship is funded by industry to facilitate a Nyiyaparli Country-wide Biocultural Landscape Management Plan in collaboration with Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation (KNAC) and Curtin University.
This scholarship includes a living stipend of $40000 p.a. pro rata indexed, based on full-time studies, for up to a maximum of 3.5 years.
Applications close 30th June 2026
Enquiries
For enquires please contact Dr Teagan Shields at Teagan.shields@curtin.edu.au
To formally apply please submit an Expression of Interest to Dr Teagan Shields