- Temporary Full Time up to 30 April 2028
- Primary Work Location: Tamworth Agricultural Institute (TAI), Calala
- Classification: Technical Officer Grade 1/3 – salary from $75,728 to $116,969 per annum (FTE) plus super and leave loading - commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience
About the Role
In this role you will provide technical support to research projects conducted at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute. You will also be required to support field trials at other NSW DPIRD research sites including Narrabri (Australian Cotton Research Institute) and Breeza (Liverpool Plains Field Station), as well trials at Spring Ridge and Bellata. Further, you will be required to help conduct a regional survey of paddocks located within the Tamworth, Liverpool Plains and Narrabri Shire Council areas.
As part of this role, you will supervise technical staff to ensure work is completed safely, consistently and in line with protocols. This position requires collaboration with internal and external stakeholders who share research facilities and resources, as well as landholders.
Your primary role will be to provide technical, administrative and scientific support to research projects focused on improving pulse production, with a focus on the associations that legumes form with beneficial microbes – rhizobia. Day-to-day activities will vary depending on the time of the season and will range from preparation and establishment of field trials, to soil/plant sample collection and assessment, to data entry and interpretation. You will be required to perform a variety of tasks ranging from operating heavy machinery to assessing plant samples in a laboratory. You will be joining a team of approximately ten people involved in pulse and cereal agronomy research.
The role will require regular travel to trial sites off-station and will include overnight stays.
About You
To be successful in this role, you must hold
- Qualifications in accordance with Part 2 (xviii) of the Crown Employees (Department of Industry) Technical Staff Award
- Current NSW Driver Licence
- Ability and willingness to travel to remote locations, including overnight stays.
As our ideal candidate you will
- Bring practical technical capability, strong organisational skills, strong administration and information technology skills, and the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
- You will enjoy working outdoors, managing multiple priorities and contributing to high‑quality research outcomes.
- You will preferably have experience operating a wide variety of agricultural machinery including heavy-duty tractors and precision planters (as well as experience transporting machinery).
- You will also be familiar with and proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite of programs and be able to collate and interpret agronomic data at a foundational level.
For a confidential discussion please contact hiring manager Tendo Mukasa Mugerwa, Research Officer Crop Nutrition on 0419 661 566 or email tendo.mukasa.mugerwa@dpird.nsw.gov.au .
For further information about the role you can download a copy of the role description here
Applying is easy!
Please apply via our online portal and submit:
✅ A CV (max 5 pages)
✅ A cover letter (max 2 pages) Tell us how your experience and skills make you a great fit for this role.
Applications close: Thursday 25 June 2026 at 11:55pm AEST
After applying:
- You’ll receive a confirmation email
- We’ll review all applications once the ad closes
- If shortlisted, you may be invited to interview (in person or Microsoft Teams video)
- Further assessments will follow (e.g. writing task, skills test, psychometric test)
- Reference checks will be completed for final candidates
- The preferred candidate for this role may be required to undergo reference checks, a national police check, bankruptcy check, health assessment and/or other assessments as required.
Additional Information
- The salary offered to the successful candidate will be commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience, as outlined in the Crown Employees (Department of Industry) Technical Staff Award and the Technical Staff Merit Progression
This is an internal EOI opportunity. To be considered for an appointment for over 12 months, applicants must be ongoing at either an equivalent or higher grade than this advertised vacancy (Technical Officer G1/3 OR on a current and valid talent pool at this grade or higher. Alternatively, if you do not meet the requirement for an ongoing appointment, you may only be considered for a temporary appointment of up to 12 months.
At DPIRD, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds – including, but not limited to, gender, age, ethnicity, cultural heritage, disability, religion and sexual orientation.
DPIRD is a proud Disability Confident Recruiter, Family Inclusive Employer and Carer Friendly Employer
We are committed to ensuring every stage of the recruitment process is accessible and free from barriers. If you require adjustments or information in an alternative format to participate, please contact talent.advisory@dpird.nsw.gov.au or the hiring manager listed for a confidential discussion.
