• Location: Australia-wide
• Term: Ongoing
• Full-time: 37.5 hours per week
• Remuneration: SCHADS Level 5-6: $104,165 – 111,500 + 11.5% super + 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and members of the Global Majority* are particularly encouraged to apply.
• Reporting to: Deputy Director, – Science & Expert Advisory

Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the leading environmental law practice in the Australia Pasifik Region delivering legal solutions for peoples, nature and our climate. Our vision is for a world where nature thrives. We are ambitious about the role we can play in delivering that vision and we have an incredible team across the country working to achieve it.

As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.

The opportunity:

We are seeking to employ an in-house Science Officer to expand the range of advice we can provide to our team of solicitors and clients. You will work closely with the Director – Science and Expert Advisory and a small team that ensures EDO remains a credible source of information for both clients and decision makers. Our science program compliments and supports our deep expertise in law.

An exciting opportunity to work across Australia with a particular focus on Western Australia and Northern Territory that ensures EDO is at the forefront of integrating science into Australia’s legal frameworks and decision making. In this role you will be integrating science and legal issues surrounding water allocation including surface and groundwater, environmental health of water, and access to clean drinking water.

Candidate Profile:

Since time immemorial, First Nations and Indigenous peoples have been taking care of their Countries in Australia and the Pasifik. These deep understandings, knowledges and experiences are critical to maintaining the health and vitality of Australia and the Pasifik’s unique wildlife and ecosystems. EDO respects these great knowledges, and strongly believes that EDO cannot achieve a world where nature thrives without working alongside First Nations and Indigenous peoples.

The ideal candidate will have a broad knowledge base and enjoy applying their knowledge to complex issues, as well as assimilating and applying new knowledge.

They will be skilled at interpreting and translating technical documents, particularly hydrological assessments, to identify issues and formulate guiding advice, from which legal theory and strategy can be developed.

Working from a regional office, and remotely, with science colleagues spread across the country, the candidate will be self-motivated and work well in a multi-disciplinary team environment, where they will often be the only member of the science team amongst an office of lawyers.

Key selection criteria:

Essential requirements

• A degree in science, natural resource management, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years professional experience in science, natural resource management, or a related discipline.
• Excellent research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated science communication skills with an ability to distil complex scientific and technical information into plain English for a range of audiences including lawyers, community members and scientists.
• Ability to work as part of a team, including team members in remote areas.
• Demonstrated time management skills with the ability to manage and meet competing deadlines.
• An interest in a wide range of scientific and technical issues, and in working on issues to support public interest environmental outcomes.
• Commitment to EDO values.

Desirable requirements

• Qualifications or experience in, hydrogeology, geochemistry or surface and groundwater management. A well-established network of scientific and technical contacts.
• Experience in engaging with community organisations.
• Demonstrated experience working with First Nations people or diverse communities and individuals highly desirable

Personal qualities and cultural competency

• A champion of the EDO values
• Strong initiative and self-motivation
• Commitment to the protection of the environment and related human rights
• A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
• Demonstrated awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs and concerns of First Nations peoples and peoples from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
• Thrive in a collaborative team-based environment

Our Culture and Benefits:

• We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or life stage.
• The chance to be part of the largest environmental legal practice in the Australia-Pacific.
• A very flexible and family-friendly workplace.
• Option to work from home.
• 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
• 15 days personal/carers leave
• 20 days annual leave
• 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave per year
• 3 days paid cultural leave per year
• Extra leave over the Christmas period
• Access to EAP.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
• EDO proudly has a JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) Committee and a Mental Health Ambassador Committee, and has developed a First Nations Program with the aid of indigenous-led consultancies. 
• Three Affinity groups for the following: Disability, Global Majority* and LGBTQIA+

*Global Majority is a collective term that first and foremost speaks to and encourages those so-called, to think of themselves as belonging to the majority on planet earth. It refers to people who are Black, African, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or, have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

Our Values

Commitment – We are committed to a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives.

Diversity – We are respectful of, and welcome, diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders.

Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”.

Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage.

How to Apply

• Click 'Apply Now' above
• To review the position description, please see this link: EDO-Position-Description-Science-Officer-May-2025.pdf

If you have queries in regard to this advert, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] using the subject line: Science Officer, Science & Expert Advisory - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Interviews will take place in the first or second week of July.

Applications must include a CV and a letter that clearly addresses each of the selection criteria above.

The Key Selection Criteria show the minimum essential requirements of the position. The desirable criteria outline additional attributes which would enable the successful candidate to perform the role more effectively; they are not essential but may be used to distinguish between applicants during the shortlisting process.

EDO particularly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Pacific Island people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, workers of all ages, people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

Please note: Your application may be considered for future roles at the EDO within the next 12 months without additional advertising. Please notify us in your application if you would not like to be considered for similar roles beyond this recruitment.

If you have any accessibility needs for the recruitment or interviewing process, please let us know in your application or by emailing [email protected] using the subject line: Science Officer, Science & Expert Advisory - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Vaccination Requirements

EDO is not issuing a vaccination mandate. EDO staff have the option to share vaccination details within the EDO HRIS system, EDO will maintain this record of vaccination status of EDO employees, however if staff do not wish to disclose this information, it will not be enforced.

Working with clients face-to-face:

• EDO works with diverse peoples and groups across the Australian and Pacific communities, including people who are considered a high-risk group in terms of COVID-19.
• In order to ensure the safety of all EDO employees and the people we work with and around, staff visiting overburdened communities are required to take a COVID-19 test three (3) days prior and on the day of travel to the overburdened community.

Other Information

All offers of employment may be subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.