Intelligence and security agencies are reportedly investigating a suspected industrial espionage case at Australia’s top scientific organisation, the CSIRO.

Federal police and intelligence officials are looking into the activities of a Chinese national who until last week worked in the CSIRO’s highly sensitive nanotechnology laboratory in Melbourne, Fairfax Media reports.

It says the post-doctoral student is being investigated for allegedly accessing sensitive CSIRO data and a focus of the probe is determining whether the man sent CSIRO information to a foreign power.

The CSIRO’s nanotechnology area works closely with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation.

A CSIRO spokesman told Fairfax Media a matter relating to the possible unauthorised access and use of a section of CSIRO IT infrastructure by a CSIRO employee had been referred to Australian Federal Police.

The man’s alleged activities are understood to have been detected last week by the agency’s internal security.