Featured
Senior Research Fellow - Health AI Implementation
57Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove QLD, Australia
$142,451 - $194,406
Science jobs in Australia represent dynamic careers in higher education, encompassing roles dedicated to advancing knowledge in disciplines like biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, and environmental science. These positions, often found at prestigious institutions such as the University of Melbourne or Australian National University, involve a blend of groundbreaking research, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, and administrative duties. The term 'science jobs' refers to academic and research-focused employment where professionals contribute to scientific discovery while mentoring the next generation of scientists.
In Australia, the higher education sector emphasizes research excellence, supported by competitive funding schemes. Science academics typically engage in projects addressing national priorities, such as climate change adaptation or biotechnology innovations. For instance, recent breakthroughs in semiconductor technology, as highlighted in ongoing research, underscore the impact of these roles.
The foundation of science academia in Australia dates back to the 19th century with the establishment of early universities like the University of Sydney in 1850, which introduced science faculties. Post-World War II, government investment spurred growth, leading to the creation of the Australian Research Council (ARC) in 1988. Today, science jobs have evolved into highly competitive, metrics-driven careers, with performance measured by publications in high-impact journals, citation counts, and grant success rates. This evolution reflects Australia's push to become a global leader in STEM fields.
Daily duties vary by level but commonly include designing and conducting experiments, publishing peer-reviewed papers, supervising Honours and PhD students, delivering lectures, and securing research grants. Senior roles add leadership of research labs and curriculum development. For example, a physics lecturer might teach quantum mechanics while investigating renewable energy materials.
To secure science jobs, candidates need specific credentials and competencies.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in a relevant science discipline is the minimum entry for most positions, such as lecturer or research fellow. For professorial roles, this is supplemented by years of postdoctoral research.
Expertise in niche areas like genomics, astrophysics, or materials science is prized, aligned with Australia's research strengths in marine biology and quantum computing.
A strong publication record (e.g., 10+ papers in Q1 journals), successful grants (ARC Discovery Projects average AUD 300,000), and teaching portfolios are essential. Postdoctoral fellowships, like those at CSIRO, provide valuable experience.
Actionable advice: Build your profile early by presenting at conferences like the Australian Institute of Physics Congress and networking via LinkedIn academic groups.
Entry often begins as a research assistant or postdoc, progressing to lecturer (Level B), senior lecturer (Level C), associate professor (Level D), and professor (Level E). Salaries start at around AUD 115,000 for lecturers, per industry benchmarks. Opportunities abound in Group of Eight universities and emerging hubs like Queensland's biotech sector. Challenges include funding competition, but initiatives like the National Reconstruction Fund boost prospects.
For practical tips, aspiring researchers can learn how to excel as a research assistant in Australia or thrive in postdoctoral roles. Crafting a standout application? Follow how to write a winning academic CV.
ARC (Australian Research Council): Australia's primary funding body for fundamental research across sciences, funding projects from AUD 100,000 to millions.
NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council): Supports biomedical and health-related science research, crucial for life sciences jobs.
Postdoc (Postdoctoral Researcher): A temporary research position after PhD, typically 2-5 years, focused on independent projects to build a tenure-track profile.
Ready to explore opportunities? Browse higher ed jobs, university jobs, and higher ed career advice on AcademicJobs.com. Institutions can post a job to attract top science talent. With Australia's innovation agenda, now is an exciting time for science professionals.
Science jobs in Australia span wet labs, field stations, core facilities, and computational groups — and they are rarely labelled the same way twice. One employer posts “Scientist,” another “Associate Scientist,” another a faculty science line with a heavy research load. Academic Jobs pulls those titles into one science-filtered board so you can compare roles by discipline and location instead of guessing which keyword a university HR team used.
Search intent here is practical: you want a science job you can apply for, with a clear employer, city, and closing date. The heading count is the current number of matching science openings in Australia. Use Advanced Search to add a method or field (genomics, ecology, materials, neuroscience), a city, or an institution. If you are open to related research-track titles, switch to Research Jobs without leaving the same board.
AJ is useful because science hiring in universities is fragmented. A hospital-affiliated medical school, a faculty of science, and a government-funded institute may all hire “scientists” in the same city and never share a careers page. AJ is the layer that sits on top of those boards. Create an alert with the science filters already applied on this page so you see new associate-scientist and faculty science posts as they go live — important when closing dates are two or three weeks out.
General job sites mix biotech industry ads with academic science. That is fine if you want industry; it is noise if you want a university or research-institute contract, pension, and PI. AJ keeps the default on higher education. If your goal is “find science jobs in Australia at universities and institutes, not a generic STEM feed,” start here, filter once, and apply from the listing. That is the search this page is built to answer.
Reach qualified science professionals across any industry. List your vacancy on AcademicJobs.com.
Get notified when new science vacancies are posted on Academic Jobs.
USA, Canada, and International
USA, Canada, and International
USA, Canada, and International
All USA, USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA);, USA Compact Free Associations:The Federated States of Micronesia (USA) Marshall Islands (USA) Republic of Palau (USA), International, Israel and Canada.
.webp){kind=logo}
