Our Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program is internationally acclaimed for supporting outstanding researchers to undertake applied research that creates impact for society, the economy and the environment.
Applications for RMIT’s prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowships are now closed for 2022.
If you have a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowship enquiry you can contact us at researchfellowships@rmit.edu.au.
The RMIT Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowships program is known for supporting outstanding researchers to undertake applied research that creates positive impact for society, the economy and the environment.
Recent years have witnessed the tangible effects of climate change, pandemics, political upheavals, technological revolutions, and emerging social movements. We have also seen an acceleration of change and innovation across disciplines, to tackle such challenges: from new ways of working and studying, to addressing mental and physical health, and the pursuit of security and prosperity for all. There are more reasons than ever to think hard about the futures we face, and which we are actively generating.
The RMIT Enabling Impact Platforms foster positive futures by encouraging cutting edge research that is strategic and usable. The RMIT Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program (VCRF) is a key mechanism for achieving this goal: bringing in fresh expertise and capability in strategically important areas; designed to support outstanding, impact-oriented and dynamic researchers, who are committed to engaging with and contributing to the world at large and attuned to the challenges and opportunities of the contemporary context.
In 2022 the Vice-Chancellor's Fellowships program is focussed on six strategic research priority themes: Sustainable Futures, Healthier Futures, Productive Futures, Fairer Futures, Digital Futures, and Indigenous Futures.
RMIT seeks researchers who are outstanding in their field; highly collaborative across disciplines; open to engage with industry and society; creative in approach, including through creative practice methods; and who engage with the RMIT values of diversity, inclusivity and respect. RMIT also encourages applicants who apply Indigenous knowledges in contemporary research and innovation practices across disciplines and research topics.
Postdoctoral Fellowships, Research Fellowships and Senior Research Fellowships are open to researchers with an excellent track record and whose research aligns with one of RMIT’s strategic research priority themes and one or more Enabling Impact Platform/s. Successful applicants will be appointed for an initial three or four years according to the Fellowship category and criteria.
In 2022 RMIT’s Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program is focused on six themes. The themes are described below.
Human impacts on biodiversity, soil, water, the atmosphere, and climate are now so severe that fundamental earth systems are being disrupted, triggering dangerous feedbacks such as climate change. Addressing this crisis requires passionate, innovative, interdisciplinary research that rethinks old ways of doing things, and helps drive real world change. RMIT is looking for emerging research leaders to help tackle the interconnected technical, social, economic, political and policy challenges of unsustainability and seize the opportunities of genuine sustainability, particularly in cities, supply chains and infrastructural systems.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
An ageing population, pandemics, urban diseases, and mental health problems will challenge human health for some time to come. Healthier futures address such challenges in a context of social inclusion, ethical innovation, and creative practice.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
As the world faces unprecedented levels of change, uncertainty and turbulence, organisations must address challenges including resource scarcity, rising inflation, hyper-competition, over-stretched and disrupted supply chains, continuously evolving workplace flexibility expectations and new ways of working across hybrid and virtual contexts. Simultaneously, those challenges offer unique opportunities to reimagine value creation and capture mechanisms, build more responsive and resilient supply chains, design more inclusive organisations and workplaces, adopting humanistic principles, creating environments that support both physical and mental health, and elevate customer/user experience.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
A fairer world enshrines principles of justice and equity, and the ethical respect of people and planet. A fairer world actively values diverse people and experiences, diverse backgrounds, and viewpoints, and looks to raise up the voices of those who have been marginalised.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
Digital access to information changes almost every aspect of society today, including how we work, how we live, how we connect, how we create. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cyberphysical systems, virtual/augmented reality, digital twins, microsatellites, cybersecurity, social media tools, and many others can be drivers of change. But digital transformation is also fundamentally about change in the social, cultural, ethical, economic, health and environmental dimensions; design and creative practices; in business and enterprise.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
Australian Indigenous communities face many of the same pressing issues facing Australian society at large - but with important particularities and intersections. The effects of climate change, social change, digital transformation, future health, future work, and the pursuit of social and environmental justice - all will impact in specific ways on Australian Indigenous communities - and research across all disciplines is required to move towards just and equitable futures for these groups. At RMIT, Indigenous futures research is Indigenous-led, and engages meaningfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, towards outcomes which specifically benefit these communities. Research supporting Indigenous futures is designed with integrity and seeks to produce impactful outcomes that support Indigenous self-determination.
Indigenous futures research creates value specifically for and with Indigenous peoples and communities, as well as society more broadly. RMIT seeks to explore and apply Indigenous knowledges in contemporary research and innovation practices across disciplines and research topics.
RMIT welcomes impact-driven research that enhances our research strengths and partnerships. In particular, we welcome applicants who engage in interdisciplinary research, including through creative approaches, to help achieve positive outcomes such as:
RMIT invites applications for the Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships from local and international researchers who are outstanding in their field and who meet the eligibility and selection criteria.
Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowships are not available to RMIT employees with current ongoing academic appointments.
All Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellows are hosted in one of RMIT's academic Schools within our three Colleges.
To address the under representation of women in STEMM, for the Senior Research and Research Fellowships positions, there are some Schools where we will only accept applications from women, including those who identify as women or are gender diverse. This condition applies in the following Schools:
Section 12 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act permits the University to conduct female only recruitment in addressing the substantive imbalance of female representation at the academic levels and Schools listed above.
NOTE: these conditions do not apply to the Postdoctoral Fellowships and Indigenous Research Fellowships, which are open to all applicants across all Schools.
Recruitment is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants across all strategic research themes.
Successful applicants will launch their careers with a four-year appointment.
The Indigenous Research Fellowship is an identified opportunity under ‘Special Measures’ of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 2010. This means that only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply. Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage is required.
RMIT is committed to enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sovereignties by building Indigenous research capacity as well as creating a supportive research environment. Our range of initiatives and programs that support Indigenous scholars include the Ngarara Willim Centre, Indigenous Staff Network, and Elders in Residence.
To be eligible for one of the Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships, you must hold a PhD/Doctorate qualification, or if applying specifically to the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, be awarded your PhD prior to an offer being made (approximately December 2022).
Fellowships are not available to current RMIT employees who are already in ongoing academic roles.
RMIT staff on casual or fixed-term contracts who meet the Fellowship’s eligibility criteria are eligible to apply.
To be suitable for a 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 of RMIT’s strategic research priority themes and with one or more Enabling Impact Platforms. 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:
At the end of the Fellowship, it is expected that 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.
Section 12 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act permits the University to conduct female only recruitment in addressing the substantive imbalance of female representation at Level C across the following Schools:
To be suitable for a Research Fellowship, it is expected that you will have an emerging track record and a national reputation for undertaking high quality research aligned with one of RMIT’s Research Priority Themes and with one or more Enabling Impact Platform/s. You will have proven capacity to plan and conduct high quality research, attract competitive funding, regularly disseminate outcomes, and have established national research networks.
If successful, you can expect:
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 School’s needs.
Section 12 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act permits the University to conduct female only recruitment in addressing the substantive imbalance of female representation at Level B in the School of Engineering.
Fellowships are open to applicants who have completed a PhD within the last five years (Since 31 August 2017, 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 December 2022).
To be suitable for a Postdoctoral Fellowship, it is expected that you make significant contributions to RMIT’s research priorities 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:
NOTE: Female-only recruitment conditions do not apply to Postdoctoral Fellowships
To be suitable for an Indigenous Research- or Senior Research Fellowship, it is expected that you will have an emerging (for Research Fellows) or established (for Senior Research Fellows) track record and a national reputation for undertaking high quality research aligned with one of RMIT’s Research Priority Themes and with one or more Enabling Impact Platform/s. Senior Research Fellows 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:
The Indigenous Fellowships are an identified opportunity under ‘Special Measures’ of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 2010. This means that only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply for Indigenous Fellowships. Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage is required and you will need to submit this during the application process.
The Ngarara Willim Centre supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students within the University. For support, email ngarara.willim@rmit.edu.au.
Fellowships are open to applicants who have completed a PhD within the past five years (Since 31 August 2017, 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 December 2022).
To be suitable for a Postdoctoral Fellowship, you will be expected to make significant contributions to RMIT’s research priorities 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:
The Indigenous Fellowships are an identified opportunity under ‘Special Measures’ of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 2010. This means that only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply for Indigenous Fellowships. Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage is required and you will need to submit this during the application process.
The Ngarara Willim Centre supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students within the University. For support, email ngarara.willim@rmit.edu.au.
Applications via our online, mobile friendly application Vervoe open at 11:00am Australian Eastern Standard time (AEST) on Monday, 1 August 2022 and close at 11:59pm (AEST) on Wednesday, 31 August 2022.
You will be asked:
If selected to the next stage, you will be asked about your research plan and to outline how your research aligns to one of RMIT’s strategic research priority themes and one or more of RMIT’s Enabling Impact Platforms; what significant problem your research helps address; objectives; approach, benefits for- and beyond- academia; collaborations; and funding.
You will also be invited to upload a video talking about a relevant research highlight.
It is anticipated that this stage will run between end of September 2022 and beginning of October 2022.
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 in late October and into November 2022.
All selected candidates will be asked to provide details of their referee so that RMIT can understand reference checks prior to an offer; reference checks and offers will occur from December 2022.
Longlisted applicants will be asked to complete a research plan, it is anticipated that this stage will run between end of September 2022 and beginning of October 2022.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview with panels from late October and into November 2022. Please note, interviews will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Successful applicants will be notified by late December 2022.
Yes, you may apply, but your PhD must be awarded by the time offers will be extended to successful candidates (approximately December 2022). 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 Senior Research Fellows, Research Fellows, Postdoctoral Fellows and Indigenous Research Fellows whose experience and expertise align with one of our six strategic research priority themes, and one or more of RMIT’s Enabling Impact Platforms.
To be eligible for a Postdoctoral Fellowship your PhD must have been awarded in the previous 5 years from the application closing date. This means have an award of PhD date on or after 31 August 2017. If you were awarded a PhD prior to 31 August 2017 but have experienced a period of career interruption that would be commensurate with an award of the PhD within the previous 5 years, you may still apply. 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.
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 Postdoctoral Fellowship applications: carer’s responsibilities, parental leave and illness. As part of your application for a fellowship, you will be asked to discuss career achievements relative to research opportunity.
Yes, you can apply for an RMIT Vice-Chancellor’s 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 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 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 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 Vervoe open at 11:00am Australian Eastern Standard time (AEST) on Monday 1 August and close at 11:59pm (AEST) on Wednesday, 31 August 2022.
You will be asked:
If selected to the next stage, you will be asked about you research plan and to outline how your research aligns to one of RMIT’s strategic research priority themes and one or more of RMIT’s Enabling Impact Platforms; what significant problem your research helps address; objectives; approach, benefits for- and beyond- academia; collaborations; and funding.
You will also be invited to upload a video talking about a relevant research highlight.
It is anticipated that this stage will run between end of September 2022 and beginning of October 2022.
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 in late October and into November 2022.
All selected candidates will be asked to provide details of their referee so that RMIT can understand reference checks prior to an offer; reference checks and verbal offers will occur from December 2022.
Assessors take into consideration:
Please refer to the selection criteria outlined in the position description for full details.
RMIT is committed to driving progression towards gender equality and ensuring the diversity in our organisation is balanced at every level.
RMIT has joined the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Athena SWAN Program to support gender equity and diversity in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) disciplines. See our Diversity & Inclusion page. This program promotes women’s career development in STEMM and provides support to encourage staff success. Meet our Women in STEMM.
Female Only Recruitment Conditions
To address the under representation of women in STEMM, for the Senior Research and Research Fellowships positions, there are some Schools where we will only accept applications from women, including those who identify as women or are gender diverse. This condition applies in the following Schools:
Section 12 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act permits the University to conduct female only recruitment in addressing the substantive imbalance of female representation at the academic levels and Schools listed above.
NOTE: these conditions do not apply to the Postdoctoral Fellowships and Indigenous Research Fellowships, which are open to all applicants across all Schools.
You will be able to record your video directly within the question on Vervoe by simply clicking “Record Video”. You will be able to record and re-record as many times as you like before submitting.
All RMIT staff are offered professional development opportunities as part of their employment.
The Indigenous Fellowships are an identified opportunity under ‘Special Measures’ of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 2010. This means that only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply for Indigenous Fellowships. Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage is required and you will need to submit this during the application process.
Applications are encouraged for any of the six strategic research priority themes.
The Ngarara Willim Centre supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students within the University. For support, email ngarara.willim@rmit.edu.au.
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 FTE for the application form.
Calculate your contracted hours per week;
FTE uses the following measurements:
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 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 will need to sumbit a new application.
We are expecting successful candidates to commence their Fellowships during the first quarter of 2023.
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.
Stage 1 of the process is an Expression of Interest and will cover your eligibility, research outputs and achievements, career and any career interruptions. If you are selected to go to stage 2 of the process, this is where you will be asked about your research plan and to outline how your research aligns to one of RMIT’s strategic research priority themes. RMIT will determine where your research best fits with it's strategic research goals.
Dr Hao Van is a Vice-Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow in the Biosciences & Food Technology Discipline, School of Science, Bundoora West Campus. Listen to why Hao joined the RMIT Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program.
Dr Nasir Mahmood is a Vice-Chancellor's Fellow in the School of Engineering. Listen to why Nasir joined RMIT’s Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program.
Dr Joel Stern is a Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Media & Communication. Listen to why Joel joined RMIT’s Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program.
Dr Hardik Bhimani is the Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the School of Management. Listen to why Hardik joined RMIT’s Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program.
All enquiries should be directed to researchfellowships@rmit.edu.au. Please do not submit applications via this email as they will not be processed. All applications and uploads must be made through our application system, Vervoe.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
