UNSW Scientia Program – Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Researchers

Expression of Interest: UNSW Scientia Program – Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Researchers

UNSW is seeking outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers across any discipline whose work is making a positive impact in communities and society. Through the Scientia Program, successful applicants will receive dedicated support, career development and research investment to accelerate their academic leadership and research excellence. The UNSW Scientia Program aims to attract, support and retain exceptional researchers with outstanding track records and demonstrated potential for future leadership. We welcome researchers who are motivated by research excellence, collaboration and impact, and who aspire to become leaders and mentors within their fields.

Since the establishment of the Scientia Program in 2017, UNSW has supported over 190 researchers on the Program, of whom 56% are female and 9% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The Program supports exceptional academics who demonstrate outstanding achievement and a strong trajectory to become leaders and mentors in their fields. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers have been appointed across the Faculties of Law and Justice, Medicine and Health, Science, Art Design and Architecture, and we welcome applications from researchers across all disciplines at UNSW.

Scientia Program academics enjoy:

A four-year tenure track contract with the possibility of converting to a continuing position;
Dedicated annual research funding to support further activities, travel, collaboration and professional development;
Individualised mentoring and career development support;
Leadership and professional development opportunities;
Access to interdisciplinary research collaboration and networks;
A thriving and supportive community of Scientia academics;
Flexibility to support diverse career pathways including part-time appointments and opportunities to pursue industry engagement, further study or other professional interests

Career development is a distinctive feature of the Scientia Program. All Scientia academics have access to a range of development opportunities tailored to their level of experience across research, teaching, and leadership.

Join a diverse workforce and vibrant community with a culture of research excellence, collaboration and impact.

Message from the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research)

UNSW is a top 20 global university that improves lives through excellence in impactful research and education, and the advancement of a just society. UNSW’s Progress for All strategy positions UNSW an international exemplar in equity, diversity, and inclusion and reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for all members of our community.

A key component of this commitment is the UNSW Indigenous Strategy, which takes a holistic approach to Indigenous education, research, engagement and advocacy. We strive to create a university environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples thrive, are empowered and are recognised for their leadership and contributions. A central pillar of the strategy is “Grow Our Own”, focused on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers and academics whose work will create meaningful impact in communities across the nation. UNSW’s inaugural Indigenous Research Plan reinforces the University’s commitment to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led research across its research community, placing Indigenous knowledges at the heart of societal impact.

We are seeking exceptional Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers who share this vision and are committed to advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration and delivering research with impact.

UNSW focusses on addressing the sort of local and global issues that keep us awake at night, harnessing disruptive approaches and drawing together diverse disciplines, teams, and institutions to undertake research that will change our world for the better. Scientia researchers are at the forefront of tackling these issues.

Scientia academics strengthen UNSW’s culture of research excellence, mentoring, leadership and collaboration. We invite you to join this diverse and vibrant community and help shape the future of research at UNSW.

To learn more, I invite you to view the profiles and videos on the work of Dr Laura Parker, opens in a new window, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Dr Kevin Lowe, opens in a new window, School of Education.

Professor Dane McCamey

Position summary
Express your interest
Culture and benefits

The UNSW Scientia Program seeks to attract, support, and retain exceptional Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait researchers with outstanding research track records and demonstrated potential for future leadership.

Successful applicants will join the faculty aligned to their discipline and become part of a dynamic research community committed to excellence, collaboration and impact.

Career development is a defining feature of the Scientia Program. All Scientia academics receive dedicated support and access to development opportunities tailored to their career stage across research, teaching and leadership.

UNSW’s Progress for All strategy highlights our ambition to be recognised internationally for equity, diversity and inclusion. The UNSW Indigenous Strategy takes a holistic approach to Indigenous education, research, engagement, and advocacy, and reflects our commitment to creating an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples thrive and are empowered. We are seeking researchers who share this commitment and vision.

Employment Type: The program offers flexibility for full-time and part time appointments, and opportunities to pursue further study, industry engagement or other professional interests.

Duration: 4-year tenure track contract with the possibility of converting to a continuing position.

Eligibility: The Scientia Program targets academics at levels B (Lecturer) and C (Senior Lecturer) across all disciplines. Candidates with compelling track records may also be considered at Levels A (Associate Lecturer) and D (Associate Professor).

Identified Position: This is an identified position and open to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants only. UNSW considers that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

Location: Kensington NSW

Why Join UNSW?

Be part of a university committed to Indigenous excellence and leadership
Contribute to a research environment focused on real-world impact
Collaborate with some of the best minds in your field and explore interdisciplinary collaboration.
Join a supportive community of Scientia academics and Indigenous researchers
Help shape the future through research, education and engagement
Here, you’ll have the support to ensure you can share your work with the wider community.
To be successful you must have:

PhD in relevant area of strength at UNSW.
Demonstrated track record in research with outcomes of high quality and high impact with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence as well as the capacity for research leadership.
Demonstrated ability and willingness to deliver high quality and innovative teaching and student experience to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
A track record of significant involvement with the profession, community, government and/or industry.
High level communication skills and ability to network effectively and interact with a diverse range of students and staff.
Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
Ability and capacity to implement required UNSW health and safety and knowledge of equal opportunity principles.
We will offer the successful candidate a salary package commensurate with the position responsibilities and the candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience.

All of our employees (excluding casuals) are entitled to receive 17% employer superannuation contributions. New employees are entitled to select their preferred superannuation fund or UniSuper, the industry fund for the Tertiary Education sector.

Our salary-sacrificing initiatives allow you to pay some or all of the offering before tax.

We also offer the option to salary package a fully maintained vehicle under a lease known as a novated lease. Car parking is available on campus with the ability to pay via fortnightly payroll salary sacrifice deductions.
Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all required pre-employment or background checks. In addition, your ongoing employment is based upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements.

All offers of employment will be subject to prior submission of satisfactory proof of Aboriginality.

Applications will be accepted through the UNSW Jobs Portal

Applicants should submit:

A current curriculum vitae (CV); and
A brief statement (1–2 pages) outlining:
your research achievements and future research vision;
how your work aligns with and would benefit from the UNSW research environment; including identification of the UNSW School(s), discipline(s), or research areas with which your research most closely aligns; and
how participation in the Scientia Program would support your future career aspirations.

Applications must be submitted before 11.55pm on Friday 28th August 2026.

EOIs will be reviewed by relevant Faculties, after which shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application and evidence of Indigeneity.

All offers of employment will be subject to prior submission of satisfactory proof of Aboriginality.

Contact for enquiries:

For queries regarding submission, contact Shiree Thomas, Talent Acquisition Partner, shiree.thomas@unsw.edu.au

For queries regarding UNSW’s Indigenous strategy, contact Natalie Chenhall, Manager Indigenous Employment, n.chenhall@unsw.edu.au

For queries about the Scientia Program, contact Evelyn Mike, Senior Scientia Advisor, evelyn.mike@unsw.edu.au

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities and members of the LGBTIQ+ community are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

UNSW isn’t like other places you’ve worked. Yes, we’re a large organisation with a diverse and talented community; a community doing extraordinary things. But what makes us different isn’t only what we do, it’s how we do it. Together, we are driven to be thoughtful, practical and purposeful in all we do.

Taking this combined approach is what makes our work matter. It’s why we come to campus each day.

We make it as easy as possible for our staff to have a rich and balanced life at work and home. As part of our approach to flexible working, we have introduced greater flexibility across location, hours, full-time equivalents, schedules and job sharing.

In terms of other benefits, we offer various types of leave, lifelong learning, discounts, entitlements, health and wellbeing support. Further information can be found on Jobs@UNSW.
As places of great inspiration and innovation, Australian universities are crucial intellectual environments where knowledge is created, communicated and challenged. In partnership with government and business, academic research and technologies help to develop vital industries. In addition, Australian universities provide students with the skills to compete in increasingly global workplaces and are ourselves major employers.

Universities are key to Australia’s economic success. In 2018, Australian universities contributed $41 billion to the economy and supported a total of 259,100 full-time jobs. In addition, 1,426,594 students studied at Australia’s 39 universities in 2018. Of these, 71 per cent (or 1,014,027) were domestic students and the remaining 29 per cent (or 412,567) were international students. In the same year, 325,171 students completed their degrees.^[1]

When it comes to world university rankings, Australia has a strong, proven track record. Across all global ranking systems, criteria and fields of study, Australia ranks highly for quality of education, student satisfaction and global reputation. The latest ranking shows more than eight Australian universities are ranked in the top 200 universities and almost two-thirds of Australia’s 39 universities are in the top 500.^[2] In addition, Australia consistently ranks highly in the Universitas 21 Report – in 2020, it ranked ninth.^[3]

Australian university students pursue a wide range of academic disciplines, from health and education to engineering and information technology. While the majority of students study full-time, others balance a part-time load with family or work responsibilities and, in the current environment, many combine on-campus and online study for maximum flexibility.

International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export and the largest services export industry. In 2019, the industry generated $40.3 billion in export income. The higher education sector contributed around 70 per cent (or $27.8 billion) of international education export income in 2019.^[4]

The 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) national report, which provides information of the quality of research undertaken by Australian universities, assessed that more than 90 per cent of Australian university research was performing at, or above world standards in 2018.^[5]

UNSW is a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8), a coalition of Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, and the prestigious Universitas 21 international network. In world rankings Go8 universities are consistently the highest ranked in Australia. Seven of the Go8’s members are in the world’s top 100 universities and all Go8 members are ranked in the world’s top 150 universities: in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Times Higher Education Rankings (THES) and the QS World University Rankings (QS).^[6]

^{[1] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures

[2] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures

[3] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures

[4] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures

[5] 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2018 report, produced by the Australian Research Council (ARC

[6] Group of Eight, Australia}

Dr Laura Parker: Building Resilient Oysters

Dr Laura Parker is an Indigenous Scientia Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. She's interested in understanding and overcoming the impacts of climate change and environmental stress on marine organisms and her research focuses specifically on building resilience in marine molluscs to current (e.g. salinity, food availability) and future (e.g. ocean warming and acidification) stressors and understanding the underlying physiological, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved.

Associate Professor Kevin Lowe: Culturally Nourishing Schooling Project

Associate Professor Kevin Lowe is an Indigenous Scientia Associate Professor at UNSW working on a community and school focused research project on developing a model of sustainable improvement in Aboriginal education. Kevin has had experience in education as a teacher, administrator and lecturer. He has expertise in working with Aboriginal community organisations on establishing Aboriginal language policy and school curriculum implementation. Recently Kevin has worked with colleagues to review research across key areas of schooling and established the Aboriginal Voices a broad-base, holistic project which is developing a new pedagogic framework for teachers.

Our research

At UNSW Sydney, our research and innovation activities deliver cultural and social benefits on a regional and global scale. We're passionate about giving our students a research-informed education whilst making a significant difference to lives and livelihoods.

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