Senior-Principal Research Fellow (Traditional Owner Economic Empowerment)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply

The Mabo Centre is a transformational joint initiative of the National Native Title Council (NNTC) and the University of Melbourne. The NNTC is the national peak body for Australia’s native title and Traditional Owner organisations across Australia. The Centre is attached to the Faculty of Business and Economics and located at the Parkville Campus

The key purpose of the Mabo Centre is to support Australia’s Traditional Owners in translating their land and sea rights into tangible economic, social and cultural outcomes for the benefit of their communities and broader regional Australia.

Established in March 2025, the Centre is now recruiting its key research personnel. The research team of the Mabo Centre will lead its programs in research and training against the Centres three key themes:

Treaties, Agreements and Settlements which investigates all aspects of agreement making with First Nations particularly as these relate to rights in land, waters, seas and other natural resources.

Traditional Owner Economic Empowerment which investigates all aspects of the application of Traditional Owner rights in lands, seas, waters and other natural resources to enhance their economic empowerment.

Supporting Strong First Nations which investigates all aspects of the ways that Traditional Owners and their communities apply the benefits that flow from their rights in land, sea, waters and natural resources to enhance the social, cultural and political dimensions of their Nations, the factors that may operate to limit this, and how these factors may be overcome.

The role offered is a Level C (Senior Research Fellow) or Level D (Principal Research Fellow), or equivalent Enterprise Appointment, as determined by the Selection Panels assessment of the candidate’s application and CV which will take into consideration the candidates the level of achievement and/or experience

Salary:
Level C: $152,695 – $176,065 p.a plus 17% super
Level D: $183,859 – $202,556 p.a plus 17% super

This position is offered on a three-year contract basis as full-time position, based in Parkville, however flexible and fractional working arrangements will be considered for the successful applicant.

This position is offered as potential “Melbourne enterprise appointments”. Enterprise appointments allow candidates with extensive industry experience, but without formal academic qualification, to be considered for academic appointments within the university.

Be Yourself
The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a child-safe organisation. We believe the diversity of our community enriches us all, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and fair workplace where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Discover more about Diversity and Inclusion at UniMelb.

We're committed to a barrier-free recruitment process and ongoing workplace support, providing reasonable adjustments throughout. We warmly encourage applications from people with disabilities. For assistance, please contact Kim Groizard on +61 3 9035 3218 or at hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au (subject: 'Recruitment Adjustments'). Contact details for other enquiries are located at the bottom of this page.

Find more information for applicants requiring reasonable adjustments.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants
We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians. Our Indigenous strategy, Murmuk Djerring outlines our investment and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students.
Indigenous applicants are encouraged to connect with our Indigenous Employment & Development team at oied-hr@unimelb.edu.au for further information and support.

Eligibility and Diversity
We welcome applications for these positions from candidates requiring sponsorship for Australian work visas. The University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community.
- International Applicants: We offer sponsorship for eligible candidates requiring Australian work visas.
- Indigenous Applicants: We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples of all cultural backgrounds.
- Equal Opportunity: The University is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce.

A Working with Children Check (WWCC) is required for all positions. If successful, we'll guide you through the WWCC application process during onboarding and reimburse the cost.

Join Us and unlock your career potential!
If this role is right for you, please apply with the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter outlining your interest and experience

Please note that you are not required to respond to the selection criteria in the Position Description.

Learn more about the application process, including tips and FAQs.

For recruitment queries, email Brett Verity hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au. Include the Position Number and Job Title in the subject line. Please do not send applications to this email address.

For job-specific queries, contact Professor Matthew Storey, Research Lead, The Mabo Centre. Email matthew.storey@unimelb.edu.au

Position Descriptions

JR-006277 - Senior-Principal Research Fellow (Traditional Owner Economic Empowerment) PD.pdf