Science is the S in ABARES!
Our forest, land, fisheries, biosecurity, invasive species and social scientists help shape the future for Australian agriculture and our natural resources and communities.
Their work underpins the department’s efforts to improve the sustainability and productivity of our agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, including the transition to a low-emissions future.
A career as an ABARES scientist is a chance to join our expert multidiscipline teams and make a difference from the get-go.
Our scientists are experts in:
- Forests and forestry
- Land use and geospatial analysis
- Climate
- Fisheries
- Social impacts
- Invasive species and biosecurity risk
The job of an ABARES forest scientist is as diverse and highly valued as the 134 million hectares of Australia’s forests they map and analyse.
They contribute to the data supporting national forestry plans and reports and explore opportunities for forest management to contribute to the carbon economy, ensuring that our country's forest resources are sustainably managed.
Responsibilities also include meeting domestic and international reporting obligations, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our land scientists and geospatial analysts provide the quality data needed to help shape the future of sustainable land management in Australia.
They prepare comprehensive national land use and land management spatial datasets, which inform important decisions across agriculture and other sectors.
They also explore trade-offs and provide insights into the impact of proposed land use changes on regional agricultural production and communities (using our multi-criteria analysis tool).
The evidence-based insights of our fisheries scientists are highly regarded and influential – their work informs decisions to support the sustainable management of Commonwealth fisheries.
ABARES leads the Australian governments scientific engagement in various regional fisheries management organisations that are responsible for ensuring the sustainability of shared international fishery resources.
Our fisheries scientists communicate fisheries, ecological and climate change scientific information and data to the broader government.
They also engage with fisheries management organisations at Commonwealth and international levels, including Commonwealth fisheries’ resource assessment and management advisory groups.
The ABARES social sciences team undertakes applied research and analysis in the context of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and natural resource management.
The behaviour of humans and the complex systems they have built significantly influences our relationships, interactions with our natural systems and ultimately societal wellbeing.
Developing our knowledge and understanding of these relationships and how we can influence positive change is critical to achieving strategic objectives across policy, program and operational functions of the DAFF portfolio and contributing to the wellbeing of Australian society.
Our expert scientists in invasive species and biosecurity offer invaluable advice, aiding policy-makers and supporting the management of biosecurity risks to Australian primary industries and our environment.
The team brings together a diverse range of skills, including ecological research, risk assessment, spatial, mathematical, and statistical modelling, and stakeholder engagement.
Key work includes prioritising and categorising invasive species, analysing the distribution and impacts of pests and weeds, providing advice about critical biosecurity threats such as African swine fever, and fostering collaboration with stakeholders.
ABARES climate scientists monitor global climate trends and consider the implications of climate variability and climate change for Australian agricultural industries, including research and analysis of climate and agronomic conditions and their effects on agricultural production.
Research activities include the development of support tools for agricultural decision-makers and policy-makers; communication of climate change impacts; and drought assessment and drought policy advice. They produce our Weekly Australian Climate, Water and Agricultural Update, an up-to-date source of forecasts and information on climatic conditions, water availability and commodity price movements.
ABARES scientists possess a high degree of personal and professional integrity. They demonstrate the ability to challenge issues constructively and to provide data-led policy advice.
Development opportunities
We’re committed to ensuring our scientists engage with all aspects of industry and their discipline, ensuring their research and analysis is robust. Our staff enjoy the following development and training opportunities:
- field trips and industry tours
- strategic writing classes
- speaker and presentation training with industry experts
- seminars on latest research techniques and methodologies
- a range of external conferences, seminars and workshops.
ABARES is fully supportive of continuing education, and study support is available for relevant courses.
Research Outputs
- Australia’s State of the Forests report and the Forests Australia website
- Fishery Status Reports and other Fisheries Science publications
- Land Use of Australia and other land use work
- Biosecurity and Social Sciences research
Want to become an ABARES scientist? Visit the Department’s careers page for current opportunities.