Research Data Systems Capability Lead

About UNSW

UNSW isn’t like other places you’ve worked. We’re a large organisation with a diverse and talented community; a community doing extraordinary things. Together, we are driven to be thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all we do. Taking this combined approach is what makes our work matter. It’s the reason we’re one of the top 50 universities in the world and a member of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight. If you want a career where you can thrive, be challenged and do meaningful work, you’re in the right place.

The Research Data Systems Capability Lead is responsible for shaping, delivering and continuously improving UNSW’s enterprise research data platforms and services.

This role sits at the intersection of research and technology, ensuring data capabilities align to the research lifecycle while being practical, scalable and fit-for-purpose. It requires strong stakeholder engagement to bring together researchers, IT and governance functions, translating complex needs into implementable outcomes.

A key focus of the role is supporting the in-flight Research Data Experience (RDE) program, including translating researcher needs into solutions, running pilots and proofs-of-concept, and progressing capabilities into scalable, production-ready services.

The role balances innovation and experimentation with secure, sustainable and well-governed technology practices, aligning with UNSW’s strategic focus on enabling research excellence through responsible digital capabilities.

What you’ll focus on

• Lead the design, delivery and continuous improvement of research data platforms and services
• Work across researchers, IT and governance to translate needs into deliverable outcomes
• Drive pilots, proofs-of-concept and iterative delivery as part of the RDE program
• Shape priorities and outcomes, progressing capabilities from early experimentation to scalable services
• Facilitate alignment across stakeholders to navigate complexity and enable decision-making
• Ensure solutions are usable, compliant, and sustainable, leveraging automation and emerging capabilities (including AI) to improve researcher experience and reduce administrative burden

About You

Success in this role comes from your ability to work across research and technology, building trusted relationships and bringing diverse stakeholders together to deliver practical outcomes.

You have strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, a solid understanding of the research lifecycle, and the ability to translate needs into clear, implementable solutions.

You take a delivery-focused approach and apply sound judgement to balance innovation with secure, sustainable and scalable solutions, seeing technology as an enabler of research outcomes, and are comfortable navigating both research and technology environments, aligning different ways of working to deliver outcomes that are safe, compliant and aligned with UNSW’s strategic direction.

Skills and Experience (Essential)

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing capability, with the ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments and align competing priorities, perspectives and objectives to achieve outcomes
• Proven ability to bridge research and technology domains, translating researcher needs into implementable solutions and articulating technical concepts back to non-technical stakeholders
• Experience shaping and managing platforms or services, including setting priorities, defining outcomes, and driving delivery through iterative improvement
• Strong understanding of the research lifecycle and how data platforms support data capture, management, analysis, sharing and reuse
• Strong judgement and ability to operate effectively in complex environments, managing ambiguity, competing priorities and driving outcomes