If you’re a postgraduate student with a background in bushfire science, apply your academic knowledge to real-world problems through Natural Hazards Research Australia’s (the Centre) latest internship program.
A new internship opportunity for 2025 has been developed in partnership with Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR.Intern) – the industry engagement arm of the Australian Mathematical and Sciences Institute. It ensures that PhD and Masters by Research scholars receive supported opportunities to practice learnings from their degrees through hands-on experience within the natural hazards, resilience and disaster risk reduction sectors.
In 2024, the Centre piloted the first internship program with APR.Intern, hosted by New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS). Inaugural postgraduate intern, Shabnam Varzeshi, reviewed NSW NPWS's current research utilisation practices to improve decision making for fire and land management agencies. Read Shabnam’s final report here.
Northern Territory practices in bushfire control
Internship details
The Centre and APR.Intern has developed an opportunity for a postgraduate placement within Bushfires NT and Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services (NT FES) for scholars with transferable skills to apply to the natural hazard and disaster risk reduction sectors.
-
This internship is a paid, six-month position within Bushfires NT and NT FES.
-
The intern will research how well current fire behaviour models predict actual fires by comparing observed fire data with forecasted data, focusing on gamba grass and buffel grass in the NT.
-
This research will improve current vegetation maps for the NT to better align with bordering states (South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland) and review the literature to develop a proposal for new fire behaviour models for gamba grass and buffel grass.
-
Preferred skills for this position include Geographic Information System (GIS) modelling, a background in fire behaviour and excellent project management and communication skills.
-
The intern will be mentored by the Centre’s existing contacts at Bushfires NT, NT FES and Centre staff.
-
This opportunity is open to any PhD or Masters by Research students in Australia, affiliated with an Australian research institution, including postgraduate and associate students currently funded by the Centre.
-
It is preferred that the intern will be based locally given the specific NT flora, however all candidates across Australia will be considered.
-
A level of travel and accommodation will be offered by the Centre for a successful candidate who resides outside the Northern Territory.
Key dates:
-
Applications close on 19 February 2025.
-
This internship will run for six months.
Benefits for intern:
-
An opportunity to contribute your theoretical knowledge to address a real-world challenge on how to best utilise knowledge from research, to inform the policies and practices for a large government entity.
-
Mentorship and exposure working with industry leading experts in land management and fire science policies and practices.
-
Opportunities to attend prescribed burns and bushfires to obtain data.
-
An opportunity to work with the Centre and its network of industry partners and applied researchers within the Australian natural hazards sector.