High-tech in the sea
Latest gadgets for research
A RAFT of high-tech job opportunities in robotics, virtual reality and artificial intelligence are popping up in Townsville’s marine science world.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is expanding its work implementing leading-edge technology to help deepen the understanding of the tropical marine environment.
The expansion means several new jobs have become available, with mechanical engineer De’vereux Harvey one of those taking the leap into the industry from Brisbane.
“In Queensland, mechanical engineers tend to be employed in industries such as the mining industry and infrastructure, so you don’t really think of marine research as a career option,” Mr Harvey said.
“But engineers are problem solvers and recently there has been a growing focus on the environment and renewable energies which will help attract women and young people to the field.”
Ms Harvey moved to Townsville 18 months ago and has been helping develop a suite of marine monitoring systems that can assess and survey the reef.
AIMS project director Melanie
Olsen said they were working to gain a better picture of life under the sea.
“We’re employing next-generation sensors, artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems and cloud computing to provide more comprehensive knowledge, faster, to inform sustainable management of Australia’s tropical oceans,” Ms Olsen said.
“In doing so, we’re also improving the safety of our field operations and providing cost effective methods to scale-up our activities in response to increasing pressures on our tropical marine ecosystems.”
Jobs on the market include a robotics programmer, system engineers, electronics and communication technicians, and many more. More information head to aims.gov.au.