CSIRO is planning to cut jobs in its oil and gas division.

Australia's national science agency says the COVID-19 pandemic will cost it about $100 million.

It expects the economic hit to come in the form of reduced contributions from external revenues sources, which currently provide about 40 per cent of its funding.

The agency is preparing to shed up to 39 jobs in its energy division in areas such as oil, gas and coal, and up to 12 new roles in hydrogen and digital energy technology efforts.

CSIRO says the energy industry is shifting away from a dependence on fossil fuel-based energy.

However, some jobs will go from teams researching post-combustion carbon capture involving coal, which featured heavily in the Morrison government's technology investment roadmap, unveiled last month.

A CSIRO spokesperson has told reporters that researchers will still be looking at other types of CO2 capture, as well as CO2 geological storage.

Labor's public service spokesperson Katy Gallagher wants Prime Minister Scott Morrison to rule out further public service job cuts.

“This week we have seen the start of the next wave of APS job cuts with announcement on Tuesday that 30 jobs will go from the National Gallery of Australia,” Senator Gallagher said.

“On Wednesday the CSIRO Staff Association revealed that 40 Energy Business Unit jobs will be cut and the CSIRO is on track to lose more than 500 jobs by 1 July.

“Cuts across the APS this week send a disturbing signal of what is to come, particularly when they are on top of moves to close the ATO office in Geelong and slash the number of staff at the publicly-funded ABC.”