Director of Curtin Materials Institute

• Competitive remuneration + 17% super contributions
• Full time, 4 Year Academic Leadership Opportunity | Bentley Campus
• On-campus amenities including a gym, medical centre, and childcare facilities

 Job reference: 1421914

Inaugural Director of the Curtin Materials Institute | Bentley (Boorloo) Campus | Full Time, 4-year Leadership Opportunity

Curtin Materials Institute (CMI): Advancing Materials, Shaping the Future

Curtin University is seeking an exceptional and visionary leader to serve as the inaugural Director of the Curtin Materials Institute. The CMI is a newly-established research institute that captures Curtin’s capability across the breadth of materials research. 

This is a rare opportunity to build, shape and lead a high-profile institute that consolidates Curtin’s world-class sustainable materials research across advanced manufacturing, green metals and composites, energy systems and battery materials, mineral processing, construction materials and corrosion science.

CMI unites previously distributed strengths across schools, and research centres, creating a cohesive platform that elevates Curtin’s leadership in materials innovation. The Institute serves as a central gateway for industry and government engagement, research funding, and global recognition, with a mission to tackle major industrial, national, and sustainability challenges through both fundamental science and application-driven innovation. The Institute is underpinned by world-class analytical facilities housed within the John de Laeter Centre (https://jdlc.curtin.edu.au). 

About the Role

Working closely with and reporting to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, as the Director, you will:

• Shape the Institute’s vision and long-term growth, aligning research priorities with Curtin University, state, and national objectives.
• Represent Curtin internationally, building high-impact partnerships with industry, government, and research institutions.
• Guide programs, shared facilities, and postgraduate initiatives while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Secure diverse research funding, identify commercialisation opportunities, and raise the Institute’s global profile. Forge strategic partnerships with industry, government, and research institutions.
• Manage budgets, and governance, embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Institute. Provide academic leadership and advance the Institute’s research excellence.

This position offers a unique chance to create a lasting legacy by establishing Curtin as a global leader in materials innovation and shaping the future of research, industry partnerships, and national capability.

About You

Selection Criteria

As Director, you will be a globally recognised academic leader in materials research and innovation, driving interdisciplinary collaboration, strategic growth, and external engagement. Specifically we are looking for:

• Qualification: A doctoral qualification in a relevant discipline
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to inspire and drive a shared vision, bringing about change and fostering commitment to Curtin’s
• values of respect, integrity, courage, excellence, and impact
• Academic Standing and Credibility: Current appointment as Professor (ALE) with experience managing organisational units in a university setting. International recognition in academia, with strong
• connections to industry and community.
• Strategic Focus: Forward-looking and outcomes-focused, with a strong understanding of internal and external operating environments. Proven ability to translate institutional strategy into clear, locally relevant priorities, plans and initiatives.
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and diversity, with the ability to identify key challenges and implement meaningful strategies to foster an inclusive and supportive environment.
• Communication and Influence: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence and negotiate effectively across diverse stakeholders, and to build and sustain strong internal and external relationships.
• People Management: Proven capacity to build high-performing, inclusive cultures; and empower individuals and teams to achieve excellence.
• Research Excellence and Innovation: Demonstrated capacity to drive research excellence, innovation and continuous improvement, including the ability to lead impactful, interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Global Perspective: Ability to position the Institute within a global context, contributing to Curtin’s ambition to be a leading international university through high-impact research and engagement.
• Industry Engagement: Demonstrated experience building and sustaining strategic partnerships with industry, and driving
• greater industry embeddedness with respect to
• educational programs and research.

You can access the Candidate Brochure for this role by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://tinyurl.com/35a6krw4

Role Requirements

You will require current work rights in Australia that match the tenure of this role to be considered. Successful applicants are subject to a National Police Clearance, and background, integrity, and reference checks to Curtin’s satisfaction.  

About the Team

The Curtin Materials Institute (CMI) unites Curtin University’s leading research in materials - from advanced manufacturing and energy systems to minerals, construction, corrosion, and biomedical materials. By consolidating expertise across the schools and centres of Science and Engineering, CMI fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, drives industry and government engagement, and delivers innovative, industry-ready solutions to major national and global challenges.

CMI sits within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, a vibrant, research-intensive community with world-class facilities and strong industry partnerships. The Faculty’s researchers tackle complex challenges across energy, minerals, environmental science, digital technologies, and engineering, translating discovery into real-world impact. Together, CMI and the Faculty offer a collaborative, high-performance environment where researchers shape the future of materials innovation and advance Curtin’s global reputation.

For more information on our Faculty please visit: https://www.curtin.edu.au/about/learning-teaching/science-engineering/

About Curtin University

Curtin University proudly stands among the top one percent of global universities according to the ARWU 2025 rankings. We are an energetic, dedicated team of academics and professionals working together to provide global solutions through quality graduates and innovative research. Curtin is a welcoming space where integrity, respect for one another, courage, excellence, and impact are essential to everyday life. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live.

Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace

At Curtin University, we are passionate about fostering an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment in which all people feel respected, valued and safe. Curtin is dedicated to promoting gender equity and inclusivity in all areas. We are proud of our achievements to date and recognise that there is more to do to improve employment outcomes for women and people of diverse gender identities, particularly in STEMM disciplines.

As an Athena SWAN accredited institution, we celebrate diversity and actively work to advance the representation of women and gender-diverse people in STEMM areas and empower individuals so they can thrive in their careers through a range of supportive initiatives, including leadership training, mentorship for early career progression and promotion, networking opportunities, and other professional development resources. As reflected in the Athena Swan Charter, gender equality is a broader issue that extends beyond barriers affecting women alone, and we are committed to addressing these challenges holistically.  

 We offer a competitive remuneration and benefits package, including:

• 17% superannuation, plus a variety of salary packaging options.
• Excellent Leave Entitlements: Paid Parental leave (26 weeks for the primary caregiver and 3 weeks for non-primary) subject to eligibility criteria outlined in the Enterprise Agreement; personal leave (14 days) and annual leave (20 days)
• Enjoy 12 Public Holidays each year (including Easter Tuesday!), and 2 extra University Days over the Christmas/New Year Period (see EBA 51.1 and 51.9).
• On-campus childcare (priority given to Curtin staff and students), breastfeeding facilities, and medical centre
• Flexible work arrangements including return to work provisions
• Academic Carer Support Scheme and comprehensive wellbeing initiatives (for more information please visit: https://www.curtin.edu.au/about/values-vision-strategy/diversity-equity/gender-equity-and-inclusion/)

We believe that diverse perspectives fuel innovation and drive excellence, and we encourage women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people of diverse gender, sex and sexuality, people with disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of STEMM together and making tomorrow better. 

What We Offer You

This Professorial position attracts a remuneration package of $223,135 (ALE) + 17% superannuation.

Situated on Whadjuk Nyungar Country, our vibrant Bentley campus includes an art gallery, gym, childcare and medical centre, bus station, accessible parking and endless food options including a supermarket. Aside from the vibrant campus life, Curtin offers a wide range of generous benefits, including additional leave, salary packaging, health and wellbeing services and an array of discounts for retail, travel and much more.  

For more reasons to work at Curtin, please visit https://staff.curtin.edu.au/discover-curtin/  

Join Us!

If this sounds like your next role, please click APPLY NOW ensuring to attach the following documents: 

• Up to date Resume
• Cover Letter outlining your interest and demonstrating how your background meets the position’s selection criteria (noted above).

If you have any queries in relation to this opportunity or the application process, please contact our careers team on CurtinCareers@curtin.edu.au or 08 9266 9000 (option 3,1), quoting the reference number. [SR8] Please note, late applications or applications received via email will not be considered, and only successful candidates will be contacted.

Applications close: 9PM (AWST), Tuesday 26 May 2026

Curtin reserves the right at its sole discretion to withdraw from the recruitment process, not to make an appointment, or to appoint by invitation, at any time. We reserve the right to remove the advert earlier than the date on the advert.