Postdoctoral Reserch Associate in Bio Fabrication

Full time, 2-year fixed-term position, located at the Darlington Campus within the School of Computer Science
Join a pioneering, multi-institutional and interdisciplinary team developing a cutting-edge computational fabrication framework that harnesses the living properties of fungal mycelia to transform organic waste into sustainable, carbon-neutral materials—advancing the emerging field of living-material bio-manufacturing
Base Salary, (Level A) $117,936 p.a. + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

The School of Computer Science at the University of Sydney is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biofabrication to join its cutting-edge Human-Computer Interaction and fabrication lab.

Working with A/Prof Withana and a globally recognised interdisciplinary team across the University of Sydney, UC Davis and Monash University (including A/Prof Kertesz, Dr Gough, A/Prof Vega, and Dr Hernandez Ibinarriaga), you will contribute to the development of a novel computational fabrication framework. This research applies the natural growth processes of fungal mycelia to enable scalable and reproducible re-manufacturing from organic waste.

This is a unique opportunity to drive impactful research at the intersection of computation, biology and sustainability, contributing to the future of living materials and bio-manufacturing technologies.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

work closely with A/Prof Withana and collaborating with A/Prof Kertesz and Dr Gough
conduct research to develop the computational fabrication framework for mycelia-based materials
lead and co-author high-quality scientific publications and present at leading journals and international conferences
support the supervision and mentoring of HDR students involved in the project
contribute to the development of future grant applications
support the coordination and administration of this multi-institutional project.

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate who has:

a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction or a closely related field, ideally with a focus on biofabrication
experience working with living materials or biologically inspired systems
strong track record of authoring high-quality publications in leading journals or conferences

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Simon Drew, Recruitment Operations by email to recruitment.sea@sydney.edu.au

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Wednesday 29 July 2026 11:59 PM