Position Number: 0064025
Location: Parkville
Role type: Full-time; Continuing
Faculty: Engineering and Information Technology
Department/School: Department of Chemical Engineering
Salary: Level E $226,517 p.a. (pro rata for part-time) p.a. plus 17% super
Level of appointment is subject to qualifications and experience
- Lead groundbreaking circular economy research with global impact.
- Build and lead an interdisciplinary team with industry and donor support.
Opportunity
The Circular Economy Chair is a pivotal position in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at The University of Melbourne, dedicated to tackling urgent global sustainability challenges. With the world’s consumption of natural resources outpacing Earth’s capacity and waste problems mounting, a shift to a circular economy is essential. This role offers you the opportunity to lead innovative research, and apply chemical and engineering principles to reimagine resource use and waste reduction.
As Chair, you will establish and expand the University’s circular economy research initiatives, build an interdisciplinary team, and secure funding from industry and philanthropic sources. You will contribute to teaching, inspire student engagement in sustainability, and play a key role in policy development on circular economy strategies, renewables, and climate action. This is an impactful leadership position where you will shape the University’s approach to the circular economy and influence the field nationally and globally.
About You
We are seeking an accomplished senior leader in engineering and the circular economy, with a strong track record of advancing research and professional activities on both national and international stages. You will bring experience in building and leading interdisciplinary research initiatives, along with senior leadership qualities that reflect strong communication, commitment, innovation, and integrity. Your ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders—including proactive engagement with benefactors—will set you apart, as does your experience collaborating with industry, government, and international bodies.
You will also have:
- A PhD in Engineering or a field relevant to Chemical Engineering.
- Internationally recognised expertise and leadership in chemical engineering, with a focus on the circular economy.
- Effective teaching skills at the undergraduate level, experience supervising research students, leading teams and mentoring junior academics.
For further information regarding responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.
This role requires that the successful candidate must undergo and maintain an up-to-date Working with Children Check. This is essential to guarantee a secure environment for all individuals at the University. In the case the selected candidate doesn't have a valid Working with Children Check, they will be able to apply for the WWCC as part of the initial onboarding procedures.
About Us
Your New Team – Department of Chemical Engineering
http://www.chemeng.unimelb.edu.au
The Department of Chemical Engineering hosts several Research Centres and Research Hubs including the ARC Dairy Innovation Research Hub, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals (COEMinerals), and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space.
Our laboratories are housed across four locations including a substantially renovated main building, a second building devoted exclusively to research, two floors within the nearby Chemistry building and a presence within the Bio21 Institute. Our academics have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Society, the world's oldest scientific society, the Australian Academy of Science, and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
Employee Benefits
We offer generous employee benefits to help maximise your work life. These include flexible and family friendly working conditions, salary packaging, internal School and Faculty grant schemes including a dedicated scheme for women and generous leave provisions. This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a culturally rich and values-based environment.
To find out more, go to https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits
How to apply
Your application submitted should include a Cover Letter, CV and document with responses against the selection criteria found in the Candidate Pack for the role.
Candidate Information Pack: Circular Economy Chair - Candidate Information Pack
