Zhechen Hou is currently working as a Research Fellow (post-doc) to develope techniques to prepare carbonate samples under laboratory conditions that have field representative engineering properties, in both cemented and uncemented sediments. He works closely with staff at the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis (CMCA) of the UWA to investigate the microscopic carbonate sediment behaviours that are typical of Australian seabeds. He also works within ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Transforming energy Infrastructure through Digital Engineering (TIDE ITRH) at the UWA.

Prior to this, he worked as Research Associate at the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub on Offshore Floating Facilities (OFFshore Hub). He completed PhD on pipe-soil interaction through centrifuge tests and analytical frameworks, at the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS) of the UWA Ocean Graduate School. 

Zhechen's expertise relates to offshore geotechnical engineering, hydrodynamic engineering, and structural design, and data mining. His current research topics are relevant to carbonate sediments, offshore pipelines, cables and pile foundations, both for application in oil and gas infrastructure and renewable energy generation. His previous research outcomes have been incorporated into the new API-ISO standard, ensuring safe and smart subsea infrastructure design.