Deadline: July 9, 2018
Applications for the 2019 round of the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program are now open. Established as a cornerstone of the UNSW 2025 Strategy, the fellowship aims to attract and retain the highest research performers on a trajectory to being exceptional research leaders and mentors.
The Program aims to enhance the culture of research excellence, mentoring, career development, leadership and community, and to have a positive impact on research output quality, impact and citations metrics and reputation results. The program is for the best and brightest people, with outstanding research track records. For researchers who share their vision of improving and transforming lives and want to create global impact through their work.
The key distinctive features of the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program include a tenure track fellowship with a career pathway commitment that has unprecedented flexibility. UNSW Scientia Fellows will have access to a range of development opportunities relevant to career stage across research, teaching and leadership, with a significant support and collaboration package.
Over the ten year lifespan of the program up to 290 researchers will be appointed into research intensive Fellowships. Over forty Fellowship appointments will be made at academic levels A to D in 2018 for commencement in 2019.
Priority Areas
In 2019, at least fifteen of the positions have been reserved for the following priority areas:
- Indigenous researchers: For passionate and impactful Indigenous researchers who share our vision to make a difference to people’s lives through their knowledge and work.
- Interdisciplinary research: For researchers with outstanding track records who can contribute to building on cross-faculty collaboration to create original and innovative interdisciplinary research.
- Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM): For leading female researchers in these fields who are passionate about mentoring women in STEMM education and careers in support of UNSW’s commitment to gender equality.
Applicants for these priority positions should select the faculty most aligned with their research. This will lead to the application form, where there is an opportunity to select one of the above priority areas.
Benefits
- Fellowships will provide a pathway to continuing academic appointment for appointees not already on a continuing appointment at UNSW.
- A development and collaboration support package of $20,000 to $40,000 per annum, depending on level, and access to a unique range of development opportunities across research, teaching and learning and leadership and engagement relevant to career stage are unique elements of the Program.
- Flexibility will be via options for planned exit and re-entry to the UNSW workforce for personal or professional reasons.
Funding support can be used for:
- international travel for collaboration and knowledge exchange
- domestic and international travel for conferences
- leadership programs
- other career development opportunities
- Up to 50% of the first year’s package can also be used to partially support relocation costs.
Fellows will develop an annual performance and development plan including a fully justified budget for all development activities, international collaboration and other related expenses, to be approved by the Head of School.
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold a doctoral qualification at the time of application. If the award has not already been conferred by the time of application, an applicant must wait until the following year to apply.
- This program is open to internal and external applicants including:
- Internal continuing, fixed term or casual UNSW staff
- Academics who are not currently in paid employment at UNSW Fellowships will be available in the research areas outlined on the UNSW Scientia Fellowship website.
Selection criteria
- Fellows will be selected on the basis of research excellence (relative to opportunity), fit of research proposal with Faculty research areas, and alignment with strategic priorities.
- In particular, applicants must demonstrate the alignment of their research with Faculty specific areas of focus and Faculty researchers.
- The Scientia Fellowship Program will also embed diversity in appointment practices to ensure appropriate gender representation, cultural diversity and disciplinary expertise.
Requirements
- Fellows will be expected to engage with activities that align with Strategy 2025. These include activities under the three pillars: social engagement, global impact and academic excellence. Examples include interdisciplinary research, knowledge exchange and global development.
- Appointed Fellows who do not have an externally-funded fellowship applicable to their discipline such as from the ARC or NHMRC at the time of their appointment will be expected to actively seek other external research funding during the course of their Fellowship.
- Fellows are required to submit an annual report detailing their progress and a final report is to be submitted at the completion of the Fellowship.
Application
Visit the Fellowship FAQs and Guidelines before you apply.
A PDF version of the application form can be downloaded for review, but all applications must be made through the unsw.edu.au/Apply website.
For more information, visit UNSW Scientia Fellowship.
