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 moves knowledges and practices beyond a sustainability framing to advance and accelerate societal efforts to restore, renew, reconstruct and revitalise human, ecological and material systems for inhabitable planetary futures. At RMIT researchers are building visionary interdisciplinary approaches to regenerative futures across the fields of technology, design, enterprise and society. The effort is oriented towards inclusion and justice, located in places on First Nations country, and centered on collaboration and partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Such collaborative approaches imply new approaches to local and planetary civics that can transform the structures and processes that shape how we govern our entangled planet.

We are seeking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers who can contribute to regenerative practice across the following three thematic areas:

• Regenerating systems – Contributing to systemic change through such areas as epidemiology, policy simulation, clothing regeneration, 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 built environment, through sustainable technologies, creative economies, and strategies for enhancing design-led innovation and entrepreneurialism. 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 such areas as sustainable production, circular engineering, next generation materials, and regenerative design for social innovation. Reforming policy, law, organisational design and governance by strengthening and supporting long term decision making, addressing climate justice, 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), The Victoria Medical Device Prototyping and Scale-Up Facility – Discovery to Device, and the Accelerator for Translational Research in Clinical Trials (ATRACT) Centre, central to human clinical trials in cancer, ageing and infectious diseases with collaborators Australia-wide.

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. As well as specialised expertise, this theme further encourages applicants with effective biological data analysis and integration capabilities including bioinformatics, multi-omics and, where relevant, AI and biostatistics.

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

• Medical technology innovation in such areas as engineering design, systems integration, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, computational modelling, medical device development, bioengineering, and biomarker platforms.
• Health innovations supporting longevity, healthy aging, remote monitoring, and independent living, including within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Next generation biomedical innovations through advanced digital design, modelling, and additive manufacturing, including such areas as smart materials and high-performance, customisable implants.

Digital innovation is pivotal to our shared digital futures. 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 artificial intelligence, information retrieval, digital design, and digital manufacturing, coupled with a focus on human behaviour, digital harms reduction, digital care technologies, enhancing security and resilience with digital technologies, and digital technologies in education. In a future where businesses, governments, communities, and citizens interact in previously unimagined ways, RMIT’s commitment is to advance world-leading and multidisciplinary digital innovation research for a prosperous and secure digital future. 

As part of our research strategy for impact, RMIT is building on our existing world class research capability in digital innovation by identifying established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research leaders with the capability to enhance Digital Innovation in the following high-priority topics:

• Exploring digital applications with implications for individuals, organisations, and society, including Indigenous communities. This includes such areas as digital harms reduction, telehealth, digital learning platforms, digital twins, emergency response, and regenerative digital design.
• AI-driven innovations  across a range of community, government, and industry sectors, where solution design is intertwined with considerations for human-centred design, purpose, and fit within a range of social and cultural contexts, including Indigenous communities. This includes such areas as additive manufacturing, automation, robotics, sensors and sensing technologies, and adaptive production environments.

To be suitable for a Vice-Chancellor's Indigenous Principal 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, build teams, develop networks, and manage collaborative partnered research projects in a global environment.

If successful, you can expect:

• A Vice-Chancellor's Indigenous Principal Research Fellowship for four years and salary commencing between Academic level D1-D4 (salary negotiable, based on experience)
• $40,000, per annum, research support funding for four years.
• One PhD Scholarship

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 (salary negotiable, based on experience)
• $30,000 per annum research support funding

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 (salary negotiable, based on experience)
• $20,000 per annum research support funding

Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are open to applicants who have completed their PhD within the last five years (on or after 2 September 2020, 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 2025).

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 (relative to 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/October 2025). 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 Principal Research Fellows (Academic level D), 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 2 September 2020. If you were awarded a PhD prior to 2 September 2020 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.

If your PhD converral is prior to this date, we recommend you apply for an Indigenous Research Fellowshop (Academic Level B).

Yes, you can apply for an RMIT Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowship while you hold an externally funded research fellowship such as an ARC DECRA or Future Fellowship. Please ensure that any external 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 8 July 2025 and closes at 11:59 am midday (AEST) on Tuesday, 2 September 2025.  

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/October 2025.

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.

• At RMIT we have set long-term aspirations to enable impact and the Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowships program is part of this long-term strategic focus – providing an environment for Fellows to develop strong careers
• Our research is impact focused and founded on excellence
• We have a strong commitment to drive translation of research to achieve diverse types of impact 
• We are industry and community engaged with a strong sense of civic responsibility and global outlook 
• Our research and innovation ecosystem enables interdisciplinarity, which provides more opportunities for collaboration and networking. We have more than 40 interdisciplinary networks – initiated through our eight8 Enabling Impact Platforms
• RMIT is a friendly place to work and an employer of choice. We have a progressive and inclusive culture, are values based, and conduct ethical research
• We value diversity in our people, research topics, and impact pathways
• View RMIT’s impressive standings in university rankings.

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 Naarm/Melbourne or within commutable distance from one of our Naarm/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 2026.

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.

Successful candidates will be provided with initial Visa support if required.