• Get hands-on work experience and gain new skills
• Access CSIRO's world-class facilities
• Apply for a CSIRO Vacation Scholarship today!

Our Undergraduate Vacation Scholarships are run over the Australian summer holidays and offer high achieving and promising undergraduate students the opportunity to collaborate with leading CSIRO scientists in our world class facilities.  Students will have the chance to work on real world projects and gain valuable new skills.  Placements are full time and will typically begin in late November or early December 2018 and can be from 8 to 12 weeks in length.

The Business Development and Commercial (BD&C) team provides specialist advice to CSIRO science teams throughout operations and research projects. We prepare and manage commercial contracts, provide advice on legal (Commercial) and IP matters and develop and implement IP strategies. The BD&C team has a broad range of expertise and experience, giving us the capacity to handle most matters internally; however, we will also commission external lawyers and IP experts as required.  The BD&C team have the following vacation scholarship available:

Project Title:  Patent landscape studies concerning longwall automation or mining automation, and/or Concentrated Solar Thermal or Photovoltaic technologies, and/or Bioenergy/waste to energy technologies.
Location:  North Ryde (Sydney), NSW
Scholarship:  $1,536.81 per fortnight
Reference:  57794

Project Description

A patent data analytics report relating to the chosen research area. The areas comprise:

• Solutions which utilise automated systems to reduce the exposure of mine workers to hazardous processes, environments and materials. Specifically the innovative underground longwall automation technology, a specialised remote guidance technology that steers equipment by plotting its position in three dimensions.
• The development of low cost, environmentally friendly production methods and flexible materials that change how and where photovoltaic energy can be generated. And/or concentrated solar thermal (CST) research, specialising in high-temperature central receiver systems.
• Developing advanced carbon power technologies, specifically Bioenergy/waste to energy, to reduce CO2 emissions. An alternative pathway to low emissions electricity through two advanced carbon power technologies - the Direct Injection Carbon Engine (DICE) and the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC). DICE and DCFC are suitable for large scale electricity generation and decentralised applications at industrial or remote locations.

Project Duties/Tasks

The student would spend time completing the following tasks:

• Work with the scientists to gain knowledge of research direction and technology understanding, an iterative process.
• Become proficient with a patent searching tool (Orbit).
• With help from the IP manager produce a patent data analytics report comprising the technology, its geographical protection, and ownership.  The report would attempt to identify IP hot spots, white space, fertile ground, technology maturity etc, within the IP landscape.

Relevant Fields of Study

• Engineering/Science or related fields.

Contact:  For more details please contact Matthew Roper by phone on 02 9325 3135 or email matthew.roper@csiro.au

Pre-Requisites/Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply you must be an Australian or New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident or an international student who has full work rights for the 8 to 12 weeks duration (does not require visa sponsorship).

Vacation scholarships are open to students who:

• are currently enrolled at an Australian university;
• have completed at least three years of a full-time undergraduate course (however exceptional second year students may be considered); and
• have a strong academic record (credit average or higher).

How to apply:

You will be required to:

1. submit a resume/cover letter (as one document) which includes:
   • the reasons why the research project/s you have selected are of interest to you; and how your previous skills/knowledge and experience meets the project requirements; and
   • an outline of your longer-term career aspirations and detail how this program will help you achieve them.
2. upload your academic results in the ‘Requested Information’ field.

If you experience difficulties applying online call 1300 984 220 and someone will be able to assist you. Outside business hours please email: csiro-careers@csiro.au.

About CSIRO:  The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is Australia’s national science agency.  At CSIRO we shape the future. We do this by using science to solve real issues. Our research makes a difference to industry, people and the planet.  Find out more at www.csiro.au.

Applications close on: Monday 6 August 2018