Embark on a career-defining journey with this PhD project. You’ll acquire the skills and networks necessary to secure positions in government, industry, or academia upon graduation. With the confidence to advance into diverse, rewarding leadership roles with excellent earning potential, you’ll be well-prepared for your future.

As a PhD student in the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity, you’ll join a collaborative research partnership between three universities and over 25 partner organisations, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). This is one of 20 PhD projects offering opportunities to explore Australia from its stunning beaches to its rugged bushlands.

About the project

Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) is a highly invasive horticultural pest, found in at least 65 countries and infesting over 470 species of fruits and vegetables. Oriental fruit fly was detected in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the first time in 1992, with subsequent detections in the adjacent Torres Strait islands (Queensland, Australia) by 1993. Since then, there have been seasonal incursions and biosecurity responses to Oriental fruit fly across Torres Strait through Australia’s National Exotic Fruit Fly in Torres Strait Eradication Program (NEFFTSEP), however the frequency and number of detections have been increasing over time. This increase results in a higher risk of an incursion of Oriental fruit fly on mainland Australia. 

The Treaty Villages Fruit Fly Trapping Program (TVFFTP) was established in 2022, co-delivered by the Australian federal government and the PNG government, to monitor Oriental fruit fly numbers and population dynamics in the Treaty Villages of PNG. The Treaty Villages are a series of villages along the southern coast of the Western Province that are directly opposite the northernmost islands of the Torres Strait, with as little as 4km of ocean separating them at the closest point. Given the proximity, it has been speculated that Oriental fruit fly in the Torres Strait may originate from the Treaty Villages. 

Inhabitants of the Treaty Villages largely rely on hunting and subsistence agriculture. Many of the significant food crops for village inhabitants are vulnerable to damage from Oriental fruit fly (e.g. cucurbits, bananas, citrus and solanaceous plants), so high populations of Oriental fruit fly can significantly reduce food availability throughout the Treaty Villages. 

This project has been developed to evaluate if Oriental fruit fly numbers can be managed (or reduced) in the Treaty Villages of PNG. In October 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to support the trial of fruit fly management to proceed in the Treaty Villages of Jarai, Mari, Buzi and Berr.

Management of Oriental fruit fly in the Treaty Villages not only benefits Australia by reducing the risk of flies entering the Torres Strait but also benefits the Treaty Villages and PNG generally by increasing food security and biosecurity outcomes. Fruit fly management methods adapted and applied for use in the Treaty Villages could also benefit other communities that rely on subsistence agriculture in tropical regions of the world where fruit flies are a major pest. Successful local management methods for Oriental fruit fly in the Treaty Villages could also serve as a model for fruit fly management in broadscale agriculture in PNG and across the Pacific.

Additional background information

Oriental fruit fly populations exist in the Treaty Villages year round, with strong seasonal variation. Population numbers peak in the wet season when more host fruits and vegetables are present and decrease during the dry season when fewer host fruits and vegetables are present. In the Treaty Villages Oriental fruit fly damages key food crops such as mango, banana, guava, paw paw, breadfruit, and star fruit (amongst others).  The presence of Oriental fruit fly in the Torres Strait appears to coincide with increased seasonal abundance of this species in the Treaty Villages. 

Northerly and north-westerly winds blow from PNG to Australia each year, which likely contribute to the risk of Oriental fruit fly moving from the Treaty Villages into the Torres Strait. These wind movements occur predominantly in the wet-season and correspond with the seasonal increase in abundance of Oriental fruit fly in the Treaty Villages.

Genetic analysis of Oriental fruit flies trapped in the Treaty Villages and Torres Strait is also underway, to evaluate the relatedness of fruit flies in the region. This may provide insights into the application of management activities in the Treaty Villages.

To date there has been no active management of Oriental fruit fly in the Treaty Villages, allowing establishment and increase of populations of flies in areas with suitable hosts. While the prospect of eradicating Oriental fruit fly from the Treaty Villages (and from PNG more broadly) is not feasible, there is potential for management at a local level. In addition to the National Exotic Fruit Fly in Torres Strait Eradication Program (NEFFTSEP), local management of Oriental fruit fly has also been achieved in an ACIAR project in Indonesia (De Faveri et al. 2024). Similar management techniques could be applied in the Treaty Villages, with consideration to the efficacy of specific management techniques in a village context and their suitability for local environmental and cultural settings.

Aim: The overall aim of the PhD project is to investigate existing management methods and design and implement an experiment to evaluate the most appropriate methods of reducing populations of Oriental fruit fly. The experiment will be conducted in the selected and supportive PNG Treaty Villages (Jarai, Mari, Buzi and Berr), as well as up to 10 villages in which management methods will not be applied. The broader objectives are to (1) improve local food security in the Treaty Villages and (2) reduce the risk of Oriental fruit fly incursion into Torres Strait and mainland Australia.

Approach: The student will review literature on existing Oriental fruit fly management methods and their efficacy (such as blocking and spraying, traps, toxicants, parasitoids, entomopathogens) with consideration of their implementation in remote tropical locations, especially the PNG Treaty Villages. 

The student will design an experiment to test bait spraying and Male Annihilation Technique (MAT) blocking in a Treaty Village context, as guided by the NEFFTSEP. Training in these methods would be provided to the student by subject matter experts within Australian and PNG governments, and bait spraying and MAT blocking would be implemented by INLOC’s South Fly Ranger Program following the experimental design. The PhD student will develop appropriate measures of effectiveness of these methods for the Treaty Villages and compare the outcomes for the treated and control villages with appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods. 

The remainder of the PhD project can be determined by findings and the student’s interest. Additional avenues of research may include population modelling, social science (e.g. community uptake, cultural practices), genetics, plant host biology (network, density, seasonality), or another area of the student interest.

Location

As a student in the Training Centre, you will join a cohort of other PhD students and post-docs training to be the next generation of biosecurity professionals. All students will complete at least 12 months of placement with one or more industry or government partner organisations during their PhD. You will also have access to generous research project funding. 

You will be based in Cairns, Queensland, at James Cook University, and will work closely with scientists at the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry offices in Cairns and Canberra. You will also work closely with the South Fly Rangers (via INLOC), PNG’s Biosecurity Authority (PNGBA), and other relevant parties throughout the project.

Part of the required 12 months of placement will also be undertaken in PNG, including multiple trips to Paho Island and the Treaty Villages of PNG, which are highly remote locations that require overnight camping and transportation in small boats. There may also be an opportunity for placement alongside PNGBA officers in Port Moresby.

Supervisors and advisors

Professor Lori Lach (primary supervisor), James Cook University and another JCU academic (secondary supervisor) to be determined based on the direction of research (e.g., social science, modelling).
Matthew Calverley, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Benefits and career pathway

This project will build your technical skills and professional networks that equips you for a career as a leader in biosecurity. The Training Centre will provide a range of training opportunities including leadership, cultural awareness and communication. These are the skills your future employers are looking for. We know our partners are experiencing a shortage in PhD qualified employees, and while we can’t guarantee you a job, we can see a lot of great jobs out there and we’re committed to providing you with the networks, skills and knowledge you need to land a job you love.

During your PhD you’ll receive a $40,000 tax-free stipend a year for 3.5 years (that’s $1500 a fortnight), and we’ll cover your travel costs to Training Retreats, Centre Forums and more.

About you

You’ll have experience in plant health, entomology or a related field, and ideally the ability to design and conduct field experiments, statistically analyse biological data, and communicate results in written and oral formats.

You’ll also have the ability to travel and work in remote areas under hot, humid environmental conditions; including camping and travel on small boats. We are aiming to start this project before the end of 2026, so are seeking an Australian domestic student or student from PNG or the Pacific Islands and Territories. You will need the ability to obtain a passport and travel visa for PNG and Australia and undergo police check.

You’ll have either Honours (First Class or 2A) or a Masters by Research (minimum 6 months of research experience) or an equivalent level of research experience gained from employment. If you’re not sure if you are eligible, please contact plantbiosecurity@anu.edu.au and we’ll assist you.

We encourage applications from peoples of all abilities, identities, and backgrounds. We acknowledge the importance of First Nations peoples continued caring for country and welcome applications from Indigenous Australians. We also recognise that people often experience breaks or different pathways in their studies and/or careers. If there are circumstances you believe we should be aware of, please include a statement and we will take it into consideration when evaluating your application.

How to apply

We have a two-step application process.

Step 1: Express your interest
Deadline: 15 July 2026
To submit an expression of interest you will need:

• A statement about your motivation to do a PhD and why are you interested in this particular PhD project (max 200 words). Note that your response will be considered by the supervisory panel during the shortlisting process – we are looking for students to demonstrate an interest in the project and their relevant experience
• A two-page CV
• Your academic transcript (official or unofficial)
• An example of your research-related writing. This could be a scientific paper, grant application, or honours thesis that you wrote. Alternatively, you can provide a summary of a paper authored by one of the supervisors on this project (max 400 words), demonstrating your ability to identify key findings in a scientific paper and articulate them clearly and concisely.

The supervisor will read your documents and share them with the project team and members of the Training Centre. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview.

Step 2: Application

If you’re the preferred candidate, the supervisor will email you to invite you to apply to James Cook University. You’ll be guided through the paperwork to confirm your eligibility and then the university can make a formal letter of offer. This process takes about eight weeks. Once you have accepted the letter of offer, your place is confirmed.

The university will then contact you to complete enrolment documents. We’ll reach out to formally welcome you to the Training Centre and set up your start date and induction.

Questions? Questions about this project can be directed to the supervisor Professor Lori Lach at lori.lach@jcu.edu.au. For general questions about the Training Centre, applications, eligibility or anything else, check out our FAQs or contact Sarah Adams, Chief Operating Officer, at plantbiosecurity@anu.edu.au or +61 459 341 281. We’re here to help.