Research Associate – last-mile logistics

The Opportunity

The appointee will work closely with researchers and industry practitioners from UNSW and Adiona Tech, as well as other industry partners, to develop and validate AI-powered methods for sustainable freight and last-mile logistics as part of a CRC-P project. The research will focus on optimising last-mile delivery operations, reducing emissions, and accelerating fleet electrification. A key objective is to translate an existing research prototype into a commercial-scale platform capable of supporting real-world logistics networks across Australia.

The position provides a distinctive opportunity to undertake high-quality academic research while working directly with industry datasets, operational systems, and commercial software development. This is a unique industry postdoctoral position comprising a 0.8 FTE appointment through UNSW and a complementary 0.2 FTE appointment through Adiona Tech.

Skills & Experience

• A PhD in a related discipline, and/or relevant work experience.
• Relevant disciplines may include transport engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, operations research, mathematics, statistics, or another quantitative discipline.
• Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge and developments.
• Demonstrated ability to undertake high-quality academic research and conduct independent research with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated track record of publications and conference presentations relative to opportunity.
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: mathematical optimisation, vehicle routing and scheduling, machine learning, reinforcement learning, logistics simulation, predictive analytics, or transport modelling.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience developing, implementing, and testing computational models or research software.
• Experience working with large and complex datasets and applying appropriate data management, analysis, and validation methods.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research concepts and computational methods into practical solutions suitable for real-world implementation.
• Experience with high-performance computing, cloud computing, software development, or commercial technology platforms would be highly regarded.
• Knowledge of electric vehicle operations, energy and charging models, emissions estimation, freight transport, or logistics decarbonisation would be desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with industry partners and communicate technical concepts to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Evidence of highly developed interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact with a diverse range of stakeholders and students.
• Ability to work effectively across university and industry environments and manage competing research, technical, and project priorities.

Pay & Schedule

• Salary, Level A - $95,036 - $126,711 per annum + 17% superannuation (pro rata)
• Part Time: 28 hours (0.8 FTE) and 0.2 FTE appointment through Adiona Tech.
• Fixed-term contract: 12 months (potential for extension)
• Location: Kensington – Sydney, Australia (on campus attendance 3 days a week)