Associate Dean, Indigenous Education & Student Success (Identified) - UNSW Science

University of New South Wales; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 247,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development opportunities

Generous superannuation

10 days cultural leave paid per year

Staff discounts

Job summary

University of New South Wales in Sydney invites applications for the Associate Dean Indigenous Education and Student Success in the Faculty of Science. The role combines fractional leadership (0.5–0.8 FTE) with a continuing academic appointment and teaching/research activity.

You will shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and student outcomes, embed Indigenous Knowledges in the curriculum, and lead strategic initiatives across the faculty while collaborating with staff, students

Qualifications

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity and community connection are essential.
• Experience in teaching, curriculum development, educational leadership or professional practice is required.
• A PhD or Masters by Research related to Science, Education or equivalent is welcomed.

Responsibilities

• Shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, student success and curriculum across the Faculty of Science.
• Lead representation of Indigenous Knowledges across the Faculty curriculum with stakeholders.
• Embed Indigenous Knowledges and knowledge systems across academic work and collaborate with Indigenous staff.
• Provide teaching responsibilities as part of the role and balance leadership with academic activity.
• Report to the Deputy Dean Education and contribute to meaningful educational transformation.

Skills

Indigenous leadership

Curriculum development

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

PhD

Masters by Research

Job description

University of New South Wales – Sydney NSW

• Employment Type/Duration: Full time, flexible - the leadership appointment will be fractional between (2.5 days to 4 days). A continuing academic role will sit alongside the leadership role so the appointee remains active in teaching /and or research
• Remuneration: $150,148 - $167,834 (Level C), $179,630 - $191,415 (Level D), Level E ($247,295) or competitive salary package (Associate Dean) full-time equivalent plus 17% superannuation and leave loading
• Location: Kensington, NSW, with hybrid working arrangements

This is an identified position, and applicants must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Confirmation of Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander status will be required. UNSW has obtained an exemption under Section 126 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) to designate and recruit positions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people only.

Why this role matters

As we continue to grow our Indigenous workforce and strengthen Indigenous leadership across the University, we are seeking an outstanding Indigenous professional or academic to join the Faculty of Science.

At UNSW, we're committed to creating meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and building a workforce that reflects the communities we collaborate with. We recognise the importance of Indigenous knowledges, leadership, and lived experience, and we're seeking an Indigenous academic leader to help shape the future of our Faculty of Science.

Whether your background is in education, student success, Indigenous engagement, leadership, professional practice, research, or academia, we encourage you to explore this opportunity. We welcome candidates who bring demonstrated Indigenous leadership, cultural knowledge, lived experience, community connection, student engagement expertise, curriculum development experience, or broader professional expertise.

More about the Associate Dean role

As Associate Dean Indigenous Education and Student Success, you will shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, student success and curriculum across the Faculty of Science.

You will lead the representation of Indigenous Knowledges across the Faculty curriculum, working with colleagues, students and communities to strengthen teaching, learning and assessment centred on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing. The role will include teaching responsibilities, and the appointee will be supported to actively engage in these.

You will shape Indigenous student success, engagement and educational experiences, while advancing innovative approaches that authentically embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation.

As a key advisor, you will embed Indigenous Knowledges and Knowledge Systems across the Faculty’s academic work and contribute to meaningful educational transformation. You will collaborate with Indigenous staff across the University to strengthen shared leadership and collective impact.

As a member of the Faculty’s senior leadership team, you will report to the Deputy Dean Education. Whilst there isn’t any direct report now, there may be one in the future.

You can find the full details of the responsibilities in the position description.

What’s on offer

The Associate Dean position will be appointed for a term of up to two years, with the possibility of renewal for a second term. The leadership appointment will be fractional, between 0.5 FTE and 0.8 FTE, with the final fraction agreed with the successful applicant.

The successful applicant will also hold a continuing academic appointment within the Faculty, providing an ongoing substantive academic position beyond their term as Associate Dean. During the Associate Dean appointment, they will remain active in teaching and/or research, with the balance of leadership and academic responsibilities agreed as part of workload negotiation.

Depending on your qualifications, skills, experience, and career aspirations, appointment may be made at Senior Lecturer (Level C), Associate Professor (Level D), or Professor (Level E) level.

Who you are

We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate some combination of:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity, cultural knowledge, lived experience, and community connection
• Experience or capability in teaching, curriculum development, educational leadership, or professional practice
• Leadership experience in higher education, education, community, government, industry, not-for-profit, or related sectors
• A passion for advancing Indigenous Knowledges, student success, engagement, and participation
• Experience developing programs, initiatives, curriculum, partnerships, or community-led outcomes
• Strong relationship-building, consultation, stakeholder engagement, and influencing skills
• Strategic thinking and the ability to translate vision into meaningful outcomes
• A PhD, Masters by Research, ideally related to Science, Education or equivalent professional, leadership, community, and/or lived experience is welcomed

Candidates with a Science background will be highly regarded. If this opportunity interests you, but your experience does not align perfectly with the above, we still encourage you to apply.

Applications close: 21 October 2026 at 11.55PM

In addition to creating a safe and inclusive workplace for our Indigenous staff, we offer other great staff benefits, such career development opportunities, a generous superannuation, 10 days cultural leave paid per year, additional leave over the end of the year, and other discounts. You can find more information here.

To find out more about how we support our Indigenous staff and grow their careers, refer to this page Careers at UNSW for Indigenous Australians | UNSW Sydney

Pre-Employment Checks
As part of our recruitment process candidates may be required to undergo pre-employment screening, which may include reference checks, qualification verification, right-to-work verification, and criminal history screening where relevant to the role. Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status will be required. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.