The University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), based Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) Centre for Sustainable Futures, has announced a major recruitment drive to fill four senior positions. Backed by funding through to June 2030, the initiative represents the largest investment in the future of Australia’s forest and wood industries for decades.
Led by Professor Mark Brown, Director of the Forest Research Institute and the AFWI Centre for Sustainable Futures (AFWICSF), the USC-based Centre works alongside industry, government and academic partners to advance sustainable forestry, maximise the use of wood fibre, and deliver climate‑smart solutions.
“It focuses on forest health and productivity, value‑added products, supply chain efficiency, and integrated innovation, contributing to the national goal of growing a resilient, future‑focused forest and wood products industry,” USC said. “The positions reflect AFWI’s focus on both cutting‑edge technology and community partnerships, spanning system‑based thinking, engineered wood products, Indigenous‑led approaches, and fibre recovery.”
Wood Central understands that the Centre’s research agenda is structured around three national programs that together aim to transform Australia’s forest and wood industries. Program 1 focuses on growing the wood basket through improved utilisation of current resources, Program 2 expands the wood basket through new land management and afforestation strategies, and Program 3 develops innovative timber products to support a carbon‑friendly building sector.
The four positions now open for applications are:
- Industry Chair of System-Based Thinking and AI Integration for Increased Timber Production
- Industry Chair of Advanced Engineered and Composite Wood Products
- Industry Fellow in Healthy and Productive Forests Through Effective Indigenous-Led Partnerships
- Industry Fellow in Total Fibre Recovery and Value Chain Innovation
Applications for all positions close on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, with successful candidates expected to play a central role in shaping AFWI’s research agenda and mentoring the next generation of forest scientists and engineers.
About Australian Forest and Wood Innovations
Established last year, AFWI, led by Executive Director Dr Joseph Lawrence, brings together the University of the Sunshine Coast, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Melbourne as part of a $200‑million research fund, supported by $100 million in Commonwealth investment.
Last week, Wood Central reported that the AFWI Centre for Sustainable Futures was involved in a new project turning forest residues into the next generation of low‑carbon fuels for shipping, aviation and chemicals. That project, known as the Fibre to Fuels (F2F) project, led by HAMR Energy, will test the technical, commercial and emissions‑reduction potential of producing methanol from plantation residues using entrained‑flow gasification.
Professor Brown said the project exemplifies the kind of translational research needed to accelerate Australia’s low‑carbon transition: “Forestry residues are a high‑quality resource that can become a valuable domestic feedstock for renewable fuel production. Fibre to Fuels exemplifies commercially‑minded innovation that can move Australia to the forefront of low‑carbon manufacturing, delivering regional benefits, building sovereign capability, and contributing to the decarbonisation of hard‑to‑abate sectors.”
