Director, Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations

Geoscience Australia; Canberra; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Geoscience Australia seeks a senior leader to direct the Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations and to unify geological data stewardship, user-centered delivery and national datasets. You will translate government, industry and community needs into actionable priorities, products and services that support informed decision-making.

Leading multidisciplinary teams, you will champion accessible, trusted foundational information, engage with partners, and shape strategic outcomes across the Minerals,

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams in public sector, research, geoscience or comparable environments.
• Strong understanding of geoscience information, data stewardship and stratigraphy.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for the Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations section and translate priorities into clear plans and outcomes.
• Lead stewardship and uplift of important geological and stratigraphic information assets, ensuring accessibility and trust.
• Drive integrated delivery across science, data, digital and stakeholder functions to meet user needs and decision support.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Geoscience knowledge

Strategic planning

Public sector leadership

Job description

Geoscience Australia values the lands, water and sky as we work to deepen a shared understanding of Country and Earth. We respect First Nations peoples and their enduring connection, contribution and obligations to Country. Reflecting on our shared history, we are committed to listen and learn.

About us

Geoscience Australia brings together science, data and technology to provide geoscience insights that inform decision‑making by government and industry, support innovation, and contribute to Australia's safety, resilience and prosperity.

Our work spans the Australian continent, marine jurisdiction and Antarctic territory, from space to the Earth’s core. We deliver national-scale data, services and infrastructure and work with partners to deepen understanding of Australia and respond to the opportunities and challenges facing our nation.

Our culture

Our strength lies in our people, including our diversity in backgrounds, skills and experiences, and the way we work together to respond to the emerging needs of our work. We value diversity in gender, backgrounds, culture, and experiences of our employees and are committed to providing an inclusive workplace culture that ensures everyone has equal opportunity to contribute, participate and progress. Applications from people who reflect this diversity are encouraged.

Our workplace is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and offers a variety of flexible working arrangements to enhance flexibility, including remote working arrangements.

What we can offer you

At Geoscience Australia, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to nationally significant science, data and technology that makes a difference to Australia. You’ll work alongside people with diverse expertise and experience, with opportunities to learn, develop and contribute to work with real-world impact.

We offer competitive employment conditions, flexible working arrangements and a range of benefits that support the wellbeing and development of our people. Click here to find out more.

Our team

The Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division is at the centre of Geoscience Australia’s contribution to Australia’s net zero transition, resource security and long‑term economic prosperity. Through nationally significant precompetitive geoscience, we help government, industry and communities understand Australia’s mineral, energy and groundwater systems and make better decisions about the responsible development and management of the nation’s resources.

The Groundwater and Regional Geoscience Branch brings together complementary national and regional capabilities. Our work includes national groundwater assessments that support responsible water use, climate resilience and resource development, as well as regional multi‑commodity assessments that reduce exploration risk and identify new opportunities for critical minerals, strategic materials and other resources. We also play a key role in ensuring geoscience information is trusted, accessible and reusable through digital delivery, data stewardship and authoritative foundational datasets.

The Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations section provides the geological framework that underpins this work. We steward nationally important geological and stratigraphic information assets, including the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database, geological provinces information and related foundational datasets. Our work helps ensure that Geoscience Australia’s science is built on consistent, trusted foundations and can be translated into products, services and advice that support investment, policy, planning and community decision‑making.

This is an opportunity to lead a team whose work connects deep geological knowledge with national‑scale impact: supporting discovery, enabling responsible resource development, improving access to public geoscience and helping shape the information foundations Australia needs for a prosperous and sustainable future.

The role

The Director, Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations is responsible for leading a newly established directorate that brings together geological, stratigraphic, data stewardship and user‑centred delivery capabilities. The role provides strategic leadership for the stewardship, uplift and delivery of foundational geological and stratigraphic information assets that underpin Geoscience Australia’s national datasets, scientific outputs and advice to government, industry and communities. The Director will ensure the section’s work is shaped by the needs of government, industry and community users, translating foundational geological and stratigraphic information into trusted, decision‑ready insights, products and services that support better decision‑making.

The role leads work that improves how users discover, access, understand and apply geoscience information, using stakeholder engagement and human‑centred approaches to ensure products and services are accessible, valuable and easy to use, and that geological information is translated into decision‑ready insights for technical and non‑technical audiences. This includes translating user needs into practical delivery priorities, supporting the design of products and services that connect science outputs with decision‑making needs, and working across Geoscience Australia to ensure geological and resource information is accessible, discoverable, trusted and useful for technical and non‑technical audiences.

The Director is a senior leader within the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division and will report to the Branch Head, Groundwater and Regional Geoscience. The role will work closely with science leaders, data specialists, digital delivery teams, enterprise capability areas, jurisdictional partners and other stakeholders to ensure foundational geoscience information is managed as a trusted national asset and translated into products and services that support informed decision‑making.

In this role you will:

• Set the strategic direction for the Geology and Stratigraphy Foundations section, translating organisational priorities into clear plans, expectations and outcomes for the team.
• Lead stewardship and uplift of nationally significant geological and stratigraphic information assets, ensuring they are authoritative, accessible and fit for future use.
• Drive integrated delivery across science, data, digital and stakeholder engagement functions so geoscience information is shaped by user needs and supports decision‑making.
• Build organisational capability by developing people, strengthening specialist expertise, managing resources and fostering a collaborative, inclusive and high‑performing culture.
• Anticipate and manage risks, dependencies and emerging opportunities, providing timely and evidence‑based advice to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Represent Geoscience Australia with credibility, working productively with government, jurisdictional, research, industry and professional partners to advance shared outcomes.

To be successful in the role you will:

• Inspire a clear sense of purpose and direction, linking the work of the section to Geoscience Australia’s strategic priorities and broader whole‑of‑government outcomes.
• Exercise sound judgement in complex and ambiguous environments, drawing on evidence, diverse perspectives and professional expertise to make balanced decisions.
• Cultivate productive working relationships, bringing people together across organisational boundaries to solve problems and deliver practical outcomes.
• Communicate with influence and integrity, adapting messages for technical and non‑technical audiences and building trust through clear, accountable leadership.
• Model resilience, adaptability and ethical public sector leadership, supporting others through change while maintaining focus on quality, impact and delivery.

Required skills, knowledge, experience and/or qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering complex scientific, data, digital or policy‑related work programs in a public sector, research, geoscience or comparable environment.
• Strong understanding of geoscience information, data stewardship, stratigraphy, geology, digital delivery or related scientific information systems, and their role in supporting authoritative national datasets and products.
• Highly developed leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to provide trusted advice, manage competing priorities and influence outcomes across organisational boundaries.

Are you unsure about applying?

Did you know that a Hewlett Packard internal report found that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60 per cent of the job requirements? Women and other people from diverse backgrounds tend to only apply when they check every box. If you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on what we are looking for, please still apply or get in touch with the contact officer to learn more about the role.

Use of AI in Recruitment

Geoscience Australia may use Microsoft Copilot to support limited administrative and preparatory aspects of the recruitment process. Artificial Intelligence is not used to assess or select candidates, and all decisions are human‑led and based on merit.

Candidates must ensure their application reflects their own skills, experience and capabilities. Any use of AI must be responsible, transparent where required, and must not misrepresent their suitability for the role.

Candidates will be asked to disclose their use of AI when submitting an application and may also be asked to do so at various stages throughout the recruitment process.

Applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Principles for candidate use of AI in recruitment, as well as the Principles for agency use of AI in recruitment which outline expectations for the responsible, ethical and transparent use of AI when applying for APS roles.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this position you must meet the below eligibility criteria.

• Be an Australian Citizen at the closing date of application.
• The successful applicant must be able to obtain, hold and maintain a security clearance of an appropriate level relevant to this role.
• Commencement of employment is subject to the successful applicant undergoing and satisfying pre‑employment screening, which includes a police history check.

Recruitability

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the position. For more information please visit the Australian Public Service Commission website.

Hearing or speech impaired applicants are invited to use the National Relay Service by contacting 133 677, and requesting to be connected with our Recruitment and Delivery team on 02 6249 9777 in order to obtain selection documentation.

Technical Assistance

If you require technical assistance, call our Recruitment and Delivery team on [phone] or email [e-mail].

A merit list/pool may be created from this process. If you are successful for the merit pool, your details may be shared with other Australian Public Service agencies unless you choose not to have your details disclosed.