Deputy Dean (Research)

• Located in Camperdown
• 5 year FIXED-TERM position with an attractive remuneration package

About the opportunity

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at the University of Sydney has commenced its search for the key leadership role of Deputy Dean (Research). The new Deputy Dean (Research) will be joining at a key time, as the University enters the second phase of its ten-year strategic cycle (Sydney in 2032) and the Faculty progresses its own second strategic plan. The new Deputy Dean (Research) will work alongside the Dean, Professor Lisa Adkins, as FASS looks to consolidate its position as a world-leading centre for research and education across the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Sydney is the oldest and one of the most comprehensive of its kind in Australia. The Faculty remains proud of its past while focused on the future. The Faculty’s distinctiveness lies in the depth and breadth of its disciplines, with its many research and teaching strengths earning it a deserved reputation for excellence nationally and internationally.

The Faculty’s research is driven by the pursuit of multidisciplinary knowledge that benefits Australia and the wider world. In 2025 we welcomed two new flagship centres, the Centre for AI, Trust and Governance, which advances responsible AI development through multidisciplinary research, fosters public trust, and informs policy decisions in complex regulatory environments; and the Contemporary Inequalities Centre, which brings together multidisciplinary expertise to pursue collaborative, problem-driven research, aiming to respond to emerging social and economic challenges to build the evidence base needed to shape new policy responses.

Our other flagship research centres include the Vere Gordon Childe Centre, and the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies. Other research centres, institutes, and groups in the Faculty include the Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education, the CREATE Centre, and the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC).

For our students, and in collaboration with our partners, the Faculty offers internships and work placements, overseas exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration around complex, real-world problems. As we mature our connections with industry, community and government, the Faculty is seeking to establish anchoring partnerships operating across its research and education portfolios.

About you (skills, capabilities and experience)

The Deputy Dean (Research) is a senior academic leader responsible for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences research portfolio and for achieving the strategic and operational objectives in research set out in the Faculty’s strategic plan. Working in partnership with the Faculty’s Head of Research and Development, and as a key member of the Faculty leadership team, the role provides strategic leadership for the Faculty’s research agenda, driving the implementation of key research initiatives and aligning priorities, investment and capability with broader University objectives.

Working closely with the Dean and key stakeholders across the Faculty, the Deputy Dean (Research) fosters a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative research culture that supports excellence, innovation and interdisciplinary impact. The role provides oversight of research centres, research infrastructure, and research performance. It strengthens research capability and capacity, supports career development, and champions research integrity and responsible research practices.

As a senior representative of the Faculty, the Deputy Dean (Research) will build strong relationships across the University and with industry, government, community and global partners, identifying opportunities for funding, collaboration, translation and impact while ensuring the Faculty’s research activities remain strategically aligned, financially sustainable and positioned for long-term success.

The appointee will hold a doctoral level qualification in a FASS discipline and have an excellent track record in research and research funding. They will have a proven record in research leadership at scale with demonstrated achievements in the implementation of research strategy and research performance uplift.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance will be provided if required.

Term and remuneration

The term of the appointment is five years on a full-time basis. The successful candidate will also be offered a professorial appointment in an appropriate discipline in the Faculty and will retain that position at the conclusion of their Deputy Deanship.

The successful candidate will be offered a competitive remuneration package commensurate with the responsibilities of the position and the candidate’s relevant experience and qualifications.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a CV and cover letter outlining how your skills, capabilities and experience meet the requirements for the role) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page. Please refer to the candidate information brochure/position description for further details.

Candidate Brochure: Candidate Brochure DDR

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Jackie Besley from Devereaux Consulting at FASSResearch@devereauxconsulting.com

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Applications Close

Wednesday 04 November 2026 11:59 PM

Welcome

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About Us

The University values are excellence, trust and accountability.

The University of Sydney is committed to diversity and social inclusion. Applications from people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; equity target groups including women, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTIQ; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged.

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

The University of Sydney may conduct routine pre-employment checks before an appointment is made.

Want to know more about working at the University of Sydney?

https://www.sydney.edu.au/about-us.html