📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0769914
- Agency: Geoscience Australia
- Job Title: Branch Head, Energy Geoscience and Analysis
- Position Number: 18293
- Classification: Executive Level 2
- Closing Date: Sunday 28 June 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing;Non-Ongoing
- Location: Symonston ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Various locations – ACT, Various locations – NSW,
- Salary: Future Merit
- Office Arrangement: Flexible (Flexible working arrangements will be considered in)
About Geoscience Australia
Geoscience Australia is Australia’s pre-eminent public sector geoscience organisation. We are the
nation’s trusted advisor on the geology and geography of Australia. We apply science and
technology to describe and understand the Earth for the benefit of Australia. We apply our diverse
professional expertise, our deep and trusted knowledge, our national-scale Earth observation
infrastructure and our strong partnerships, to the opportunities and challenges that face our nation.
Our culture
Our strength lies in our people, including our diversity in backgrounds, skills and experiences, and
the way we work together to respond to the emerging needs of our work. We value diversity in
gender, backgrounds, culture, and experiences of our employees and are committed to providing
an inclusive workplace culture that ensures everyone has equal opportunity to contribute,
participate and progress. Applications from people who reflect this diversity are encouraged.
Our workplace is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and offers a
variety of flexible working arrangements to enhance flexibility, including remote working
arrangements.
What we can offer you
When you work at Geoscience Australia you will have access to a range of benefits and the
opportunity to experience a workplace culture that truly values and promotes diversity, inclusion,
equity and belonging. To learn more about our competitive salary, free onsite parking, generous
flexible working arrangements and the role you can play in growing our culture . click here
Duties
- The Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division within Geoscience Australia delivers
- precompetitive geoscience data, analysis and insights informing exploration and sustainable
- resource development decisions by government, industry and communities to help secure
- Australia’s future as a global supplier of the resources necessary for the net-zero transition.
- We are looking for a high-calibre senior leader with responsibility for the strategic leadership and
- management of the Energy Geoscience and Analysis Branch within the Division. The role provides
- strategic leadership to a multi-disciplinary science team with responsibilities to deliver
- organisational outcomes under Geoscience Australia’s enterprise strategy: Shaping our Future.
- This includes being collectively accountable for the delivery of the $3.4 billion, 35-year Resourcing
- Australia’s Prosperity initiative. The role is also responsible for supporting the Australian
- Government meet its obligations in administering the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas
- Storage Act 2006.
- Working closely with the Chief of Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division and other Branch
- Heads, the role requires strategic focus, commitment and high-level leadership capability to build a
- culture of successful people and relationship management through teamwork, collaboration,
- innovation and agility.
- Under broad direction from the Chief of the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division, you will:
- apply your knowledge and skills to initiate, shape and drive the long-term scientific and
- strategic direction for the Energy Geoscience and Analysis Branch to enhance Australia’s
- resource sector by aligning Branch resources and functions to the Minerals, Energy and
- Groundwater Division’s business plan, Geoscience Australia’s Enterprise Strategy, and
- broader Australian Government objectives.
- provide a strategic focus through planning, monitoring and delivering the Energy Geoscience
- and Analysis Branch work program within budget, aligned to the agency priorities and
- relevant to stakeholders needs.
- provide independent, trusted, persuasive and strategic technical advice for maximum
- divisional and organisational impact. This requires anticipating and managing the needs and
- expectations of a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.
- align Branch functions to divisional strategic priorities by developing clear operational
- direction, governance settings, and performance expectations for diverse technical teams.
- role model highly developed leadership skills and capabilities that support, inspire and
- empower others.
- engage and develop people and teams through training, mentoring and career planning.
- lead organisational change at scale, guiding and actively supporting people and teams
- through structural transition, embedding new ways of working, and ensuring continuity of
- high-quality delivery during periods of transition.
- successfully represent Geoscience Australia at a range of internal and external forums.
- To be successful in the role you will:
- inspire and lead the Energy Geoscience and Analysis Branch by exercising your
- well-developed executive and management skills, and highly attuned leadership and
- judgement in support of the priorities of the Mineral, Energy and Groundwater Division and
- Geoscience Australia.
- visibly and vocally demonstrate, by personal example, collegiate and collaborative
- leadership within the Mineral, Energy and Groundwater Division Senior Management Team
- and the Senior Leadership Team of Geoscience Australia. This includes providing input to
- strategic planning, setting of priorities and associated resource allocations.
- create and maintain a working environment that enables optimum scientific results, including
- motivating and inspiring high-performance delivery of the Energy Geoscience and Analysis
- Branch work program.
- provide leadership that is value orientated and people focussed, including actively fostering
- an inclusive workplace culture that values diversity.
- lead change management initiatives, communicate effectively and be self-aware,
- collaborative and resilient.
- represent the organisation professionally and effectively in various public forums to gain
- acceptance of the organisation’s short and long-term goals, including those in Geoscience
- Australia’s enterprise strategy: Shaping our Future.
- promote, by personal example and other appropriate means, the APS values, the APS
- Employment Principles and behave in a manner consistent with the Code of Conduct.
- This role requires regular interactions with a diverse range of stakeholders, including Australian
- Government departments, Ministers’ Offices, Australia’s state and territory geoscience and water
- related agencies, Publicly Funded Research Agencies, academia, as well as with the private
- sector in both domestic and international forums. The role also requires domestic and international
- travel and a willingness to act as Chief of Division, from time to time.
- Required skills, knowledge, experience and/or qualifications
- Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills are highly desirable.
- Strong communication skills, including representational and liaison skills, and written and
- oral skills including the ability to translate complex scientific and technical information for a
- range of different audiences are highly desirable.
- Post-graduate qualifications and experience in a relevant geoscience discipline is desirable.
- Skills and experience in leading and successfully delivering large and complex science
- programs is desirable.
- Experience in successfully leading teams through complex organisational change is
- desirable.
Eligibility / Notes
- To be eligible to apply for this position you must meet the below eligibility criteria.
- Be an Australian Citizen at the closing date of application.
- The successful applicant must be able to obtain, hold and maintain a security clearance of
- an appropriate level relevant to this role.
- Commencement of employment is subject to the successful applicant undergoing and
- satisfying pre- employment screening, which includes a police history check.
- Are you unsure about applying?
- Did you know that a Hewlett Packard internal report found that men apply for jobs when they meet
- an average of 60 per cent of the job requirements? Women and other people from diverse
- backgrounds tend to only apply when they check every box. If you think you have what it takes,
- but don’t necessarily meet every single point on what we are looking for, please still apply or get in
- touch with the contact officer to learn more about the role.
How to Apply
Please visit the of our website to submit your application via our e-Recruit system. careers page
Your application should include:
Your resume (no more than 3 pages)
A brief statement (no more than 750 words) outlining your approach for how you would lead
the Energy Geoscience and Analysis Branch, and how your skills, knowledge, experience,
and qualifications make you the best person for the job.
Within the context of the Australian Public Service, we offer competitive remuneration that
reflects the skills, experience and seniority required for this position.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Andrew Heap, Chief of Minerals, Energy
and Groundwater Division, before submitting an application to discuss the EL2.7 Branch
Head role in detail, including key expectations of the role and salary on offer.
If you have any questions regarding the role, please contact Dr Andrew Heap on (02) 6249 9790
or email [email protected]
To learn more about applying for roles within the Australian Public Services please review, ‘
’. Applying for an APS job: cracking the code