Apply for RMIT's Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowships

The concept of ‘Regenerative Futures’ places Indigenous knowledge and modes of care at its core – as an approach which goes beyond ‘sustainable’ practices to those which restore, renew and revitalise social, economic, and environmental systems. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have regenerated and cared for Country for millennia. This approach inspires and informs the RMIT approach to Regenerative Futures – which brings together disciplinary knowledge and expertise across a spectrum of disciplines – from social science and design to material science and engineering, health, and computing. We define regenerative futures research as that which integrates the needs of nature and society whilst also creating a positive impact on natural and social systems – which gives back more than it takes out.

We are interested in advancing disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to accelerate the transition to a more regenerative and just approach to economy, society and environment.

We are seeking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers who can contribute to regenerative practice in design, technology, business, science, engineering, built environment, humanities, arts, social sciences, and communication, across the following three thematic areas:

• Regenerating systems – Combining large scale data, informatics, digital simulation, science-based targets, human-centred approaches, and generative modelling for social and environmental benefit. Rebalancing energy and living systems to respect planetary boundaries and living ecosystems. Revaluing Indigenous knowledge systems by strengthening connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, knowledge and practice, and other diverse perspectives for stewarding planetary health.
• Reviving places and communities – Enhancing the quality of place in the built environment, including strategies for engaging with citizens. Creating greater environmental resilience through innovations in circular economies, materiality and adaptive reuse. Reactivating design leadership – Providing strategic design leadership as an agent for change.
• Reimagining the economy, business and social enterprise through tools and capacity for Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and social innovation. Reforming policy, law, organisational design and governance by strengthening and supporting long term decision making and increasing equity for future generations.

Medical technologies are revolutionising health outcomes and health expectations. RMIT leads, and is investing heavily, in areas including better disease diagnosis via advances in imaging, biosensors and biomarkers, as well as harnessing state-of-the-art smart materials such as optoelectronics, new bioinformatics and digital health AI-enabled tools. We are also engaging nanotechnology for health in areas ranging from agriculture to cancer, supporting community health across the lifespan. These innovations can bring improvements in practices and services that support healthy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. RMIT has a deep commitment to ensuring medical technologies are designed to make a practical contribution to clinical outcomes and health providers, supported by our range of partnerships and co-location initiatives with major hospitals, health providers, and community organisations. RMIT also has its own supporting infrastructure including the Micro Nano Research Facility (MNRF), Advanced Manufacturing Precinct (including digital manufacturing) and The Victoria Medical Device Prototyping and Scale-Up Facility – Discovery to Device.

Across these diverse areas we need committed and innovative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers to drive forward our research strategy for impact, and that build on collaborative initiatives with strategic research partners such as the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD), and Northern Health.

RMIT is seeking to build and enhance our research and innovation capability in MedTech in the following areas:

• Medical technology including medical imaging, biosensors, biomarkers, smart materials and nanotechnology for MedTech
• Interdisciplinary and visionary medical technology that innovatively pinpoints critical health and technology trends in research and in industry such as health informatics and digital health
• Impact in medical technology design, uptake, and ethics working with key stakeholders spanning the engineering, health and community sectors, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Entrepreneurial intent to identify new sources of funding and partnerships, nationally and internationally.
• Further building a transformational medical technology community of practice at RMIT that spans disciplines, supports mentoring, and is ambitious

Digital innovation is pivotal to the future of our digital economy, for organisations, communities, and individuals. Emerging digital technologies have created new businesses, pushed automation deep into economic administration and operations, and disrupted industries and ways of working. RMIT is deeply involved in shaping this digital future and committed to exploring research innovations relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We have national leadership in digital technologies for information retrieval, artificial intelligence, deep learning, quantum technologies, and cybersecurity, coupled with a focus on human behaviour, user interaction, design, critical technology studies, creative practices, and FATE (fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics). In a future where businesses, governments, communities, and citizens interact in previously unimagined ways, RMIT’s commitment is to advance world-leading and interdisciplinary digital innovation research for a prosperous and secure digital future.

As part of our research strategy for impact, RMIT is committed to build on our existing world class research capability in digital innovation, identifying established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research leaders to deliver new digital technology outcomes and insights.

RMIT is seeking to build and enhance our research and innovation capability Digital innovation in the following areas:

• Key digital innovation research including one or more information retrieval, user experience of technology, generative artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning, quantum computing, and cybersecurity
• Exploring digital applications and innovation across a range of community, government, and industry sectors and implications for individuals, organisations, and society, including Indigenous communities
• Driving an interdisciplinary agenda in a rich environment where knowledge about digital technologies is intertwined with considerations surrounding human-centred design, purpose and fit within a range of social and cultural contexts

To be suitable for a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Senior Research Fellowship it is expected that you will have an excellent track record and international recognition for undertaking high-quality research aligned with one or more of RMIT’s Strategic Research Priority Areas, contributing significantly to research outputs and translation, industry and public engagement, building capability of staff, promoting strong research performance, and above all, engaging in research which builds social, environmental and economic benefit and positive change in the world. You will have proven ability to provide research leadership, develop networks and manage collaborative partnered research projects in a global environment.

If successful, you can expect:

• A Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Senior Research Fellowship for four years with a salary ranging between Academic Level C1-C6 (depending on experience)
• $30,000 per annum research support funding
• At the end of the Fellowship, it is expected that fellows will be offered a continuing position, conditional on performance criteria being met, in either a teaching and research academic or a research only academic position depending on the University’s needs

At the end of the Fellowship, it is expected that Indigenous Senior Research Fellows will be offered a continuing position, conditional on performance criteria being met, in either a teaching and research academic, or a research-only academic, position, depending on the School’s needs.

To be suitable for a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship it is expected that you will have an excellent track record and international recognition for undertaking high-quality research aligned with one or more of RMIT’s Strategic Research Priority Areas, contributing significantly to research outputs and translation, industry and public engagement, building capability of staff, promoting strong research performance, and above all, engaging in research which builds social, environmental and economic benefit and positive change in the world. You will have proven ability to provide research leadership, develop networks and manage collaborative partnered research projects in a global environment.

If successful, you can expect:

• A Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship for four years with a salary ranging between Academic Level B2-B6 (depending on experience)
• $20,000 per annum research support funding
• At the end of the Fellowship, it is expected that fellows will be offered a continuing position, conditional on performance criteria being met, in either a teaching and research academic or a research only academic position depending on the University’s needs

At the end of the Fellowship, it is expected that an Indigenous Senior Research Fellow will be offered a continuing position, conditional on performance criteria being met, in either a teaching and research academic, or research only academic, position, depending on the School’s needs.

Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are open to applicants who have completed their PhD within the last five years (on or after 14 September 2019, excluding career interruptions). If you do not hold a PhD at the time of application your PhD must be awarded prior to an offer being made (approximately September 2024).

To be suitable for a Postdoctoral Fellowship, it is expected that you make significant contributions to one or more of RMIT’s Strategic Research Priority Areas by engaging in high-quality research projects and producing high-quality outputs. The position will carry out team-based research projects, which will make a significant impact in the area of their specialisation and be influential in expanding the knowledge of their relevant discipline.

If successful, you can expect:

• A Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for four years with a salary between Academic Level A6-B2 (depending on year of PhD conferral)
• $10,000 per annum research support funding
• An opportunity to significantly build your research track record and reputation, supported by training, development and mentorship.

RMIT recruits with an emphasis on merit over quantity of output. Applicants will be invited to contribute a statement for consideration of achievement relative to research opportunity as part of the application process. The following are examples of significant career interruptions which may be considered in the Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship applications:

• carer’s responsibilities
• parental leave
• illness

As part of your application for a fellowship, you will be asked to discuss career achievements relative to research opportunity.

Yes, you may apply, but your PhD must be awarded by the time offers will be extended to successful candidates (approximately September 2024). Successful candidates who are offered a position must be able to demonstrate they have met all the requirements for completion of their PhD program, be able to adopt the title of Doctor, and be able to produce a statement of academic completion upon request.

We are recruiting Indigenous Senior Research Fellows (Academic level C), Indigenous Research Fellows (Academic level B), and Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellows (Academic level A) whose experience and expertise align with one or more of RMIT’s Strategic Research Priority Areas and who meet the eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for an Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellowship your PhD must have been awarded in the previous five years from the application closing date. This means having an award of PhD date on or after 14 September 2019. If you were awarded a PhD prior to 14 September 2019 but have experienced a period of career interruption that would be commensurate with an award of the PhD within the previous five years, you may still apply. If applicable, please provide your career interruption periods in the application form. This will enable us to assess your equivalent number of years since award of your PhD based on your career interruption.

Yes, you can apply for an RMIT Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship while you hold a research fellowship at another institution. Please ensure that any other fellowships you hold are listed in your CV as part of your application.

No, you cannot apply for more than one fellowship at a time. You should establish which Fellowship category is most suited to you, given the eligibility criteria in the position descriptions for each category, as well as your skills and experience and apply for that fellowship.

RMIT staff members with an ongoing academic position are not eligible to apply for a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship.

RMIT staff on Casual or Fixed-Term contracts who meet the Fellowship’s eligibility criteria are eligible to apply. 

Yes, there is no limit on how many times you can apply for a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship. If a previous application was unsuccessful and you have developed your academic track record and/or gained further experience since that application, RMIT encourages you to apply again.

Applications via our online, mobile friendly application portal, Workday, open on 16 July 2024 and closes at 11:59 pm (AEDT) on Sunday 15 September 2024.  

You may wish to contact the Research Fellowships Team if you have any questions relating to employment or the Schools.

You will be asked:

• eligibility questions
• about your research and achievements
• detailed information about your career and any career interruptions
• to upload a current Curriculum Vitae

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview which may include a presentation to the selection panel. It is anticipated that interviews will take place during September 2024.

Please note, we will be running a rolling recruitment process, so please do not wait until the closing date to apply. This means your application can be assessed while the round is still open.

Preferred candidates will be asked to provide details of two referees to our background checks verification partner, CVCheck, before a formal offer is made.

Assessors take into consideration:

• Research output relative to opportunity;
• Alignment with one or more of RMIT’s Strategic Research Priority areas, RMIT’s values and vision; and
• Collaboration, communication, engagement and leadership skills.

Please refer to the selection criteria outlined in the position description for full details.

RMIT wants to ensure our people have the flexibility to take care of their life just as they take care of work. The University supports flexible work arrangements and will also consider requests for part-time positions.

How to calculate your Full Time Equivalent (FTE) for the application form:

• Calculate your contracted hours per week
• FTE uses the following measurements:
  • 1 day = 0.2 FTE
  • 2 days = 0.4 FTE
  • 3 days = 0.6 FTE
  • 4 Days = 0.8 FTE
  • 5 days = 1 FTE
• Take your FTE and multiply by the number of months you worked at that FTE

This example illustrates a year worked at various FTE’s:

0.8 FTE for 4 months = 0.8 x 4 = 3.2 months
0.6 FTE for 6 months = 0.6 x 6 = 3.6 months
1 FTE for 2 months = 1 x 2 = 2 months
TOTAL = 3.2 + 3.6 + 2 = 8.8 months

Yes, RMIT values the Privacy of every individual and is committed to the responsible handling of personal information, for further details, see our Privacy Statement via the RMIT privacy website.

Successful candidates will need to be located in Melbourne or within commutable distance from one of our Melbourne Campuses.

Include all funding where you were a named investigator (in any investigator role, not just as lead). You should not include funding where you were hired onto a project (e.g., as a research assistant), only include funding where you were part of the research team that received the funding.

Applications cannot be edited after submission. If you have made a significant error in your application, you can email us at researchfellowships@rmit.edu.au and provide us with the details.

We are expecting successful candidates to commence their Fellowships during 2024.

You are welcome to reach out to relevant RMIT research leads or groups. However, there is no need to contact anyone or do anything outside of the application process.