Kickstart your career with 
CSIRO’s Industry PhD 

The opportunity

•Admission to a university PhD program
•A four-year scholarship valued at $47,000 per annum (2025 rate)
•A project expense and development package of up to $13,000 per annum 
•Supervision by CSIRO, an industry partner and the host university 
•A 60-day Industry Engagement component with the industry partner
•A structured professional development and training package 




Successful students will receive a PhD on completion.

Eligibility requirements 

The student must: 

•Be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident, or a New Zealand citizen. 
•Meet participating university PhD admission requirements. 
•Meet university English language requirements. 
•Not have previously completed a PhD.
•Be able to commence the Program in the year of the offer. 
•Enrol as a full-time PhD student.
•Be prepared to be located at the project location(s) that the host university 
has approved and, if required, comply with the host university’s external 
enrolment procedures. 




Application process 

•Applicants submit an expression of interest (EOI) following the instructions on 
the university’s webpage or directly by emailing the supervisory team. 
Applications are open until position is filled.
•The EOI is assessed by the supervisory team and shortlisted applicants are 
interviewed. 
•The supervisory team nominates a preferred applicant.
•The application is assessed by the university against PhD admission criteria. 
•The university will issue a letter of offer for the program if all conditions have 
been satisfied. 




The CSIRO Industry PhD Program (iPhD) is a research training program, focusing 
on applied research that benefits industry by solving real-world challenges. It 
aims to produce the next generation of innovation leaders with the skills to work 
at the interface of research and industry in Australia. 

Project overview 

SUPERVISORY TEAM DETAILS 

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Stefan Kasapis

stefan.kasapis@rmit.edu.au

CSIRO 

Regine Stockmann

regine.stockmann@csiro.au

Sanitarium Health Food Company

John Ashton

john.ashton@sanitarium.com.au



Earn your PhD in partnership with industry, a leading university, and Australia’s national 
science agency, CSIRO.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

•Visit the iPhD website
•Contact the project’s supervisory team
•Contact the University’s Graduate Research School 
•Contact the iPhD team 


PROJECT LOCATIONS 

Primary location 

RMIT, 124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Industry Engagement component location 

Sanitarium Health Food Company, Pilot Plant and 
Laboratory, 582 Freemans Drive, Cooranbong NSW 2265

Other potential location

CSIRO Werribee, 671 Sneydes Road, Werribee VIC 3030



Extending the shelf life of UHT plant protein beverages

This Project aims to improve understanding and overcome the negative effects of 
the secondary lipid oxidation products and Maillard reaction in UHT plant protein 
beverages. 

The expected outcome is a methodology to impede the negative impact of 
malodorous/browning reactions in high protein UHT beverages. 

This may lead to the extension of shelf life of these products furthering export 
opportunities.

Ideal student skillset

•Strong background in food chemistry/technology or chemical engineering 
and in particular protein and lipid chemistry and protein interactions with 
other ingredients. 
•Familiarity with the broader aspects of thermal processing to modulate 
food quality and be comfortable with intermediate level statistics.
•Broad range of laboratory skills in food chemistry and food product 
development, experience in the use of advanced analytical equipment and 
an interest in aspects that determine long shelf life and acceptability of 
UHT beverages.
•Excellent teamwork and communication skills. A strong desire to translate 
scientific findings to commercial food processes and products is also 
required.