Supervising Scientist

01/06/2026

On Wednesday June 10th the leader of our Drone Operations and Technology Solutions team, Dr Josh Koh, will be giving a talk at the next eDNA Analysis Meeting, facilitated by Australian BioCommons.

Josh will be presenting ‘Multimodal Machine Learning with eDNA for Ecosystem Biomonitoring’.

See the link below to join!

https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnkd.in%2Fdci9e_F6&urlhash=sVlF&mt=dyqnEoKyh7S1z-7NjgF4H20Ino_R3Pb2EOfTcY66dj4g7Jp1WYlDOyI9nqDnWgGUdZHtWW72P9yo_z4aWM_9gp-3pWAYt0Yn4kg3ybJ-Iu1m5AbA7dzxWOoQLg&isSdui=true&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_detail_base%3Btvj0ZUa0Sb%2B3R21swUbGOg%3D%3D

21/05/2026

Big things are taking flight in our drone and radiation teams!

We have been busy developing an advanced gamma radiation detection drone by integrating the Medusa MS1000 with the heavy-lift Acecore Noa.

Current radiation detection methods involve long days walking across the landform and taking manual measurements. Measuring from a drone would enable landscape-scale data collection with minimal time and effort – a huge step forward in monitoring methodology!

Test flights at Fred’s Pass have been a success, so next up, a live deployment at Ranger’s Pit 1.

Stay tuned as we continue testing the future of airborne radiation detection.

08/05/2026

The Alligator Rivers Region Technical Committee (ARRTC) is on the search for an independent scientific member with expertise in geomorphology for a 4-year term commencing in November 2026.

The role of the Committee is to advise the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Water on the quality and appropriateness of the scientific research being undertaken by the Supervising Scientist and mining companies to protect and restore the environment in the Alligator Rivers Region from the impacts of uranium mining.

Meeting in Darwin or Jabiru twice per year, the Committee is made up of a range of passionate experts with skills relevant to mine rehabilitation and land management.

Please see the below link for more information and to apply.

https://www.apsjobs.gov.au/s/job-details?title=independent-scientific-member-geomorphology-alligator-rivers-region-technical-committee&Id=a05OY00000OTRS1YAP

27/04/2026

Allyson Malpartida has recently submitted her PhD thesis, supported by OSS, and will be presenting her research as part of the RIEL Seminar Series.

Allyson’s PhD explores how DNA metabarcoding and environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used to monitor ecosystem change and restoration in northern Australia. Focusing on ants and termites as ecologically dominant terrestrial invertebrates, Allyson has developed and validated new metabarcoding assays and tested whether they can recover ecological patterns seen in traditional morphological surveys.

Please see the link below to register.

https://www.cdu.edu.au/events/riel-seminar-series-%E2%80%93-genomics-based-monitoring-ants-termites-ecosystem-change

20/04/2026

In addition to our on-site work, OSS has recently taken on an exciting new responsibility—supporting the rehabilitation of Jabiru township. Our team is currently working hard to develop effective w**d management plans for the area, with valuable input and expertise from our consultants. 🌳🌺🌱

Our Darwin team are currently supporting Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to develop management plans for w**d control in Jabiru 🌱 The team found about 80 species of native plants in 3 days, reminding us of the importance to protect biodiversity hotspots like these from invasive species.

The collage shows off some of these flowering gems including 5 species of carnivorous bladderworts and 2 trigger-plants unique to the Top End, 2 stunning nectar-rich grevilleas and the famous batchelor's-buttons that adorn the roadsides with bright pink, white and red! Can you tell which is which?! 🕵️‍♀️

14/04/2026

Big congratulations to Dr Christine Chivas on completing her PhD!

Supported by the Supervising Scientist, Christine’s research explored how mosquito-ingested DNA can be used to detect species—and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

This innovative approach opens exciting new possibilities for biodiversity monitoring and environmental science.

👉 Learn more in the post below from the Threatened Species Commissioner

30/03/2026

Last week, the team at the Office of the Supervising Scientist came together for our Annual Planning Day.

It’s a valuable opportunity for all teams to step back, align, and map out the year ahead—reviewing current projects, shaping new research priorities, and planning for the important assessment work we deliver.

A big thank you to everyone for your contributions on the day and the preparation leading up to it. Your effort ensured everything ran seamlessly.

We’re now set up and ready for a strong and successful 2026–27!

23/03/2026

The Office of the Supervising Scientist is looking for someone to join the team in the role of Scientific Secretariat and Governance Officer.

This position will provide secretariat support to the Alligator Rivers Region Technical Committee and Alligator Rivers Region Advisory Committee, as well as being responsible for a number of other corporate functions.

For more information and to apply, please see the link below.

https://dcceewjobs.nga.net.au/cp/index.cfm?event=jobs.checkJobDetailsNewApplication&returnToEvent=jobs.listJobs&jobid=EB8DC453-5216-BD95-B896-ECACD76A8B0F&CurATC=EXT&CurBID=84B8823A%2D6968%2D4611%2DACDA%2DC8C00B01A2D1&JobListID=C600AB68%2D26FD%2D816D%2DE779%2DC8D1F5A139E6&jobsListKey=eeff6bf4%2D9d55%2D4cfa%2D9a2c%2D2788412d3d6f&persistVariables=CurATC,CurBID,JobListID,jobsListKey,JobID&lid=01279720198&rmuh=EE16868DF0535EE3068DF6CAFE54FBE9EBDAF987

11/02/2026

Today, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we proudly acknowledge and thank the women of the Office of the Supervising Scientist.

Reaching across all areas of our research and monitoring, their contributions help to protect the unique ecosystems of Australia’s Top End and support the ongoing protection of Kakadu National Park from the effects of uranium mining.

We are grateful for the knowledge, professionalism and passion you bring every day. Your work strengthens our science, our decisions and our impact.

21/01/2026

The Supervising Scientist Assessment of the 2025 Ranger Mine Closure Plan has now been uploaded to the Publications website.

Please see the link below.

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/supervising-scientist/publications