Professor of Engineering and Discipline Lead of Engineering

Job ID: 493914

Applications close midnight Sunday 8 February 2026

For enquiries: Professor Aman Oo, Dean, School of Science, Technology and Engineering 

Work area: School of Science, Technology and Engineering 

Location: Sunshine Coast or Moreton Bay Campus

Classification: Academic Level E

Supervisor: Professor Aman Oo, Dean, School of Science, Technology and Engineering

Employment: Full-time, ongoing appointment

Position description

Position overview

You will make significant contributions to the teaching effort of the School through both exemplary teaching practice and leadership in teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programs. You will also build and grow productive industry, government, and community partnerships that enhance student learning, strengthen research outcomes, and raise the profile of engineering at UniSC.

This position is central to the continued growth of the Engineering Discipline, supporting increased student participation, particularly at postgraduate level, deepening industry and community connections, and advancing research income and impact in support of the University’s strategic priorities.

About

About the Role

The Professor of Engineering offers an exciting opportunity for a motivated and accomplished individual to join the University of the Sunshine Coast’s School of Science, Technology and Engineering. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in uplifting the profile of our growing Engineering Discipline, which is actively contributing to multiple initiatives across the university.

This leadership position will involve teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across a range of areas, including Civil, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. The successful candidate will provide leadership in course development, shaping the strategic direction of the discipline and fostering a collaborative and innovative environment that promotes student engagement and industry partnerships.

Beyond teaching, the role includes mentoring junior academics, driving impactful research, and contributing to the growth and international reputation of the discipline. This is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by inspiring innovation and advancing the fields of engineering education and research. Additionally, as the Discipline Lead, the incumbent will provide leadership and support to academic staff within the discipline, aligning with school objectives and university strategies while promoting research integration, innovation, and improved experiences for students and staff alike.

Key Accountabilities

Specific accountabilities for this role include:

1. The University aims to build research productivity and output significantly. Research is a scholarly practice that includes:

  • international leadership in their field
  • purposefully developing focused expertise in a discipline/field
  • developing a clear research agenda and leading research teams
  • framing research problems and researchable hypotheses
  • designing, conducting and leading research projects and writing research reports
  • consistently and successfully applying for significant research grants, particularly external competitive grants
  • communicating research outcomes to both expert and lay audiences through publishing, exhibiting and performing, and subjecting outcomes to peer appraisal
  • mentoring other researchers, including Mid- and Early Career Researchers
  • successfully supervising Higher Degree by Research candidates
  • developing and maintaining strategic research partnerships
  • developing and exploiting intellectual property
  • being invited to conduct research with colleagues at other universities and give addresses in various research and research training fora in recognition of excellence in research in the discipline/field, and
  • consistently making significant leadership contributions to the development and maintenance of a positive academic environment that is conducive to high levels of engagement and standards of performance in research

2. The University is committed to delivering high quality teaching, learning and graduate outcomes. Teaching is a scholarly practice that includes:

  • maintaining currency in one’s discipline/field
  • maintaining currency in effective learning and teaching practices, especially in one’s discipline/field
  • leading the design, development, evaluation and improvement of curricula and teaching
  • leading innovation and making use of appropriate technologies and media to support and enhance learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation
  • engaging students in learning in a variety of modes including: face-to-face (lecturing, tutoring, conducting workshops, simulations and in laboratories) and learning supported by online tools that enhance knowledge construction, collaboration, communication and engagement
  • supporting students to be successful learners
  • assessing, and giving fair, helpful and timely feedback on students’ work
  • leading learning and teaching development processes within and beyond the University
  • high quality administration of teaching
  • developing and maintaining strategic partnerships that enhance the quality of learning and teaching within the University and beyond
  • conducting “practitioner research” into learning and teaching and communicating the outcomes of that research, particularly in quality refereed journals
  • being invited to teach at other universities and give addresses in various learning and teaching fora in recognition of excellence in learning and teaching in one’s discipline/field, and
  • consistently making significant leadership contributions to the development and maintenance of a positive academic environment that is conducive to high levels of engagement and standards of performance in learning and teaching

3.The University is committed to regional, national and international engagement and articulates the importance of partnerships and ongoing consultation and cooperation with a broad and diverse range of stakeholders. External engagement is a scholarly practice through which academic staff apply their discipline knowledge and skills to problems in the world. Through external engagement, worthwhile social, civic and professional functions are performed.

4. Engagement within the University enables academic staff to contribute to defining and achieving the University’s strategic priorities through activities other than teaching and research.

5. Contribute to a positive and safe work environment for you and others, by modelling and promoting conduct that is culturally capable, inclusive, respectful, and ethical.

6. Other duties within the range of skills normally associated with this classification, including those associated with an evolving research, teaching, learning and professional environment, as required.

Selection Criteria

Applicants need to demonstrate they meet the following knowledge, skills and experience:

1. Completion of a doctoral qualification in a relevant field and extensive experience as an academic leader.

2. Experience of leadership at a Faculty, School or Discipline.

3. Involvement in the development of their discipline/field and evidence of having made a clear and formative impact in that discipline/field.

4. A clear and coherent research program with: a strong track record of active, sustained and productive engagement in high quality research; publicly verifiable outputs and outcomes from research; external recognition of research performance and achievement; quality supervision of candidates for Higher Degrees by Research; and impact of research.

5. Quality research leadership, for example through: effective mentoring to develop the research capability and capacity of individual and teams of Mid- and Early Career Researchers; substantial leadership contributions that strengthen the University’s research capacity, capability and culture; and a consistent record of service on national discipline panels, such ARC panels of experts and other assessment panels.

6. Effectiveness as a teacher, which is evidenced by both exemplary teaching practice and leadership in teaching, the ultimate outcome of which is student engagement and success. For example, by:

  • leadership and/or implementation of research-led approaches to learning and teaching in the design and development of curricula;
  • leadership of learning and teaching development processes which improve teaching practice within and/or beyond the University;
  • sustained formal recognition for excellence in learning and teaching.

7. Strong leadership contributions and personal qualities that influence the development and maintenance of a positive academic environment which is conducive to high levels of engagement and standards of achievement for both staff and students.

8. Participation and success in academic administrative functions e.g. course/program coordination, within a University.

9. The ability to develop and maintain productive regional, national and international partnerships that reap significant benefits for the University.

10. Postgraduate qualifications in higher education (desirable).

11. Formal external and/or internal recognition for excellence in learning and teaching and/or research (desirable).

Recruitment process

How to apply

Your application should include:

  • Resume
  • A response to key selection criteria

Closing date 

Applications close: Sunday 8 February

Contact 

If you have any questions about the position or for a confidential discussion, please contact:

Professor Aman Oo, Dean, School of Science, Technology and Engineering

Candidates may be requested to undergo psychometric testing and give permission for verification of their tertiary qualifications.

Prospective candidates interested in applying for this position must demonstrate eligibility to work full-time in Australia. Employment sponsorship opportunities are available for qualified candidates.

The environment

The University of the Sunshine Coast is structured around its areas of expertise. UniSC has five schools that cover health, business and creative industries, science, technology and engineering, law and society and education.

From our first campus in Sippy Downs which began welcoming students in 1996, UniSC has rapidly expanded its campus footprint to now include five award-winning campuses across South East Queensland, from Moreton Bay to the Fraser Coast and UniSC Adelaide. UniSC is a founding member of the Sunshine Coast Health Institute that brings together Griffith University, UniSC, TAFE Queensland and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to deliver medicine, nursing and other allied health offerings in a specialist teaching institute that enables links to key researchers.

Our online offering has grown dramatically with almost 7,500 students enrolled in 2023 and 58 programs on offer in 2024. Delivery of learning to students is managed through the schools within a common set of principles.

Delivery of learning to students is managed through the schools within a common set of principles. UniSC recently underwent a large evolution of our learning and teaching to improve the reach and impact of classes. It has offered students access to a range of learning materials that are relevant and more meaningful than the traditional lecture. Examples include podcasts, interviews, simulations, screencasts, recorded discussions and formative quizzes, along with seminars, that are dependent on the learning outcomes of each individual course. Whilst learning materials are delivered through the universities learning management system, student engagement is achieved either on-campus in a
blended mode – with on-campus tutorials, practicals, seminars and laboratories – or  through an online experience.

UniSC is home to some of the most advanced facilities in Australia, including simulated nursing and paramedic labs, advanced engineering technologies, and state-of-the-art creative industries’ facilities. Our modern laboratories and equipment replicate real life working environments, so students graduate work-ready.

Learning and Teaching at UniSC

A young university at the epicentre of progress
We’re a growing, comprehensive university focused on excellent teaching, ground-breaking research, championing sustainability, and producing award-winning alumni. UniSC’s academic schools have strong links to industry and professional practice and produce relevant and impactful research.
Our research explores the timeliest topics of our era, those with the most significance for the future, with a focus on: Health, medicine and wellbeing; Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry; Ecology and environment; and Human behaviour, work and society.

Research at UniSC

UniSC is a community which recognises and embraces diversity among our staff, students and community partnerships. We provide an inclusive environment where each person feels they belong and are respected, connected and empowered. 

To achieve diversity and inclusion we have identified six focus areas. We acknowledge that as individuals, we all have multifaceted identities as encompassed in our understanding of diversity. Our focus areas are thus interconnected and come together in a unique way for each individual, embracing their experiences and personal perspectives.

Having a focused approach will allow us to accelerate a sense of belonging and greater inclusion for historically underrepresented individuals. Our focus areas include

Learning and working at all life stages
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
Cultural and linguistic diversity
Disability and inclusion
LGBTIQ+ and community
Gender equity
We recognise that a positive workplace and team culture supports the work life integration  of our staff. This drives positive engagement, innovation, high-performance, talent attraction and retention outcomes. Work-life integration encourages diversity and inclusion of staff, recognising needs at different stages of their careers, from family responsibilities to
cultural and community commitments.

Opening the door for women in leadership

UniSC is a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative which aims to address and improve gender equity in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) disciplines. Attaining an award is recognition of our ongoing commitment to improving gender equity and ensuring that women from diverse backgrounds, as well as underrepresented groups, are best positioned to reach their full potential.

Gender-diverse leadership at executive level is shown to increase an organisation’s problem-solving ability and its lateral and critical thinking skills. Gender diversity benefits all, as teams with gender diversity have been shown to enhance performance and create stronger job satisfaction and inclusive practice. 

Work-life integration

UniSC is committed to creating a supportive working environment and have a range of guidelines, policies and procedures in place to ensure that staff of all genders feel supported in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Arrangements that may support a healthy work-life balance include flexible work hours, purchase of additional leave credits, working from home, and a variety of leave options including parental and carer’s leave.

We recognise that a positive workplace and team culture supports the work life integration of our staff. This drives positive engagement, innovation, high-performance, talent attraction and retention outcomes. Work-life integration encourages diversity and inclusion of staff, recognising needs at different stages of their careers, from family responsibilities to
cultural and community commitments.

LGBTIQ+ and community

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that facilitates equitable access and
full participation in employment and education and are focused on the inclusion of sexually and gender diverse identities. 

As one of 65 Australian academic organisations – and the only university in Queensland – that demonstrated support for Australian Marriage Equality campaign in 2017, we remain committed to equality for sexually and gender diverse identities. The Ally Network is a UniSC support network for LGBTIQ+ students and staff to seek confidential support.

UniSC Community

The School of Science, Technology and Engineering brings together a rich mix of STEM disciplines, including engineering, science, environmental studies and information technology, to create a multidisciplinary environment that fosters teaching excellence, research collaboration and real-world impact. SSTE offers a range of study opportunities from workplace learning placements and special research projects to honours and higher degree research programs, giving students the chance to apply their knowledge in practical settings and contribute to meaningful innovation.

School of Science Technology and Engineering 

UniSC’s Engineering programs blend theory with applied practice to prepare future engineers who can design solutions for contemporary challenges. Our offerings include flexible bachelor Honours degrees in civil, electrical and electronic, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, as well as streamlined combined Bachelor/Master pathways that support accelerated professional development. Across these disciplines, students engage with industry-relevant projects, state-of-the-art facilities and sustainability-focused design principles, preparing them for diverse roles from infrastructure planning to smart systems innovation.

Engineering 

A better tomorrow starts today

 

Tomorrow is an exciting place. It’s also a place full of unprecedented global challenges. With future-focused degrees, world-leading sustainability research and 5-star teaching,* we share our knowledge, experience and tools to create a better tomorrow for all.

*Good Universities Guide 2023/24

The Organisation

UniSC’s organisational structure supports its ambitious agenda. Strong portfolios and flat, clear reporting lines facilitate accountability, flexibility and responsiveness.

Key statistics

A young university at the epicentre of progress. We’re a growing, comprehensive university focused on excellent teaching, ground-breaking research, championing sustainability, and producing award-winning alumni.

Our rankings

We’re a growing, comprehensive university focused on excellent teaching, ground-breaking research, championing sustainability, and producing award-winning alumni. 

Annual Report

View our achievements, challenges and performance against key indicators in our Annual Report.

Strategic Plan 

Our vision is to be Australia’s premier regional university. Our strategic plan outlines how we will achieve this vision. UniSC’s journey has been exceptional in achievement as a community-focused higher education institution. 

Locations

UniSC stands as the world's sole university with campuses situated within three interconnected UNESCO biosphere reserves and the UNESCO World Heritage Listed K’gari.

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