Research Associate

The Opportunity The School of Computer Science and Engineering is offering an opportunity for a Research Associate / Senior Research Associate. In this role, you will be working on developing LLMs for time‑series reasoning. Your research will focus on the project involving LLMs/VLMs for time‑series analysis, classification, and root‑cause analysis. This position offers the opportunity to advance your scholarly research and professional activities on both national and international levels. You will contribute to the writing of scientific papers and reports for international journals, participate in conferences and workshops, supervise HDR students, and actively collaborate with industry partners. This role reports to Professor Flora Salim and has no direct reports. Remuneration and Employment Details Salary: Research Associate (Level A) – AUD$113,911 to $121,838 per annum + 17% superannuation Senior Research Associate (Level B, Step 1) – AUD$127,947 per annum + 17% superannuation Full time Fixed‑term contract – ASAP start until March 2027 Location: Kensington – Sydney, Australia Due to project timelines, candidates must have working rights for Australia About UNSW UNSW isn’t like other places you’ve worked. Yes, we’re a large organisation with a diverse and talented community; a community doing extraordinary things. But what makes us different isn’t only what we do, it’s how we do it. Together, we are driven to be thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all we do. If you want a career where you can thrive, be challenged and do meaningful work, you’re in the right place. The School of Computer Science and Engineering is one of the largest and most prestigious schools of computing in Australia. It offers undergraduate programmes in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Bioinformatics, as well as a number of combined degrees with other disciplines. Our research and teaching staff are world leading and world building as they advance knowledge and learning. For more information on our school go to the following link – https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/our-schools/computer-science-and-engineering Skills and Experience Research Associate (Level A) A PhD (or soon to be awarded) in a related discipline, and/or relevant work experience. Demonstrated track record in research, evidenced by publications in top‑tier AI and ML conferences, such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, with outcomes of high quality and high impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership. Strong experience in time‑series analysis and LLMs/VLMs post‑tuning and reasoning. Experience in time‑series causal modelling is preferable although not mandatory. Experience in developing comprehensive benchmarks. Robust coding and software engineering skills. A strong practice of maintaining open‑source code repository. Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships. Evidence of highly developed interpersonal skills. An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines. Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training. Senior Research Associate (Level B) A PhD in a related discipline, and/or relevant 1–2‑year work experience post PhD. Demonstrated track record in research, evidenced by publications in top‑tier AI and ML conferences, such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, with outcomes of high quality and high impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership. Strong experience in time‑series analysis and LLMs/VLMs post‑tuning and reasoning. Experience in time‑series causal modelling is preferable although not mandatory. Experience in developing comprehensive benchmarks. Robust coding and software engineering skills. Experience in handling multimodal data, especially time‑series and text, is required. Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge and developments. A track record of significant involvement with the profession and/or industry. A strong practice of maintaining open‑source code repository. High level communication skills and ability to network effectively and interact with a diverse range of students and staff. Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships. Evidence of highly developed interpersonal skills. Ability to build effective networks with colleagues. Ability to generate alternative funding and/or industry projects through effective liaison with external local and international researchers, industry and government. An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines. Knowledge of health and safety responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training. Additional Responsibilities Additional details about the specific responsibilities for this position can be found in the position description. This is available via JOBS@UNSW. Pre‑Employment Checks Aligned with UNSW’s focus on cultivating a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre‑employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for. These pre‑employment checks may include a combination of some of the following checks: National and International Criminal history checks Entitlement to work and ID checks Working With Children Checks Completion of a Gender‑Based Violence Prevention Declaration Verification of relevant qualifications Verification of relevant professional membership Employment history and reference checks Financial responsibility assessments/checks. Medical Checks and Assessments Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW. To Apply Please click the apply now button and submit your CV, Cover Letter and Responses to the Skills and Experience. You should systematically address the Skills and Experience listed within the position description in your application. Applicants must have working rights in Australia and be able to be on site in Kensington. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. Please note applications will not be accepted if sent to the contact listed below. Contact For role‑specific inquiries, please contact Prof Flora SalimE: flora.salim@unsw.edu.au For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Eugene Aves (Talent Acquisition Partner)E: eugene.aves@unsw.edu.au Applications close: 11:55 pm (Sydney time) on Monday 2 February 2026 UNSW is committed to evolving a culture that embraces equity and supports a diverse and inclusive community where everyone can participate fairly, in a safe and respectful environment. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and encourage applications from people of diverse gender, sexual orientation, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, people with disability and those with caring and family responsibilities. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment. #J-18808-Ljbffr