First Nations Principal Research Fellow

• ​​Full-time​, ​Fixed Term position until 30 June 2027

• Salary Academic Level A-D depending on qualifications, expereince and research outputs and engagement

• Identified role for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples according to Special Measures*

• + 17% Superannuation and Flexible Working Arrangements

• Based at the ​Melbourne CBD​ campus, ​but may be required to work and/or be based at other campuses of the University​ 

About the role 

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) within RMIT is seeking to recruit one or more First Nations researchers (at either level A, B, C and/or D) to support the research fieldwork, project deliverables, data governance, reporting and presentation of research findings for a new project 'Measuring Digital Inclusion for First Nations Australians', funded by the Australian Government.

This three-year project measures will measure digital inclusion for First Nations people nationally and track changes in the scale and nature of the digital gap relative to non-First Nations Australians. By expanding on the Australian Digital Inclusion Index, it provides detailed measurement of progress towards Closing the Gap Target 17 (CTG 17): 'By 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal levels of digital inclusion'.

The researcher/s also contribute to planning and delivery of the Mapping the Digital Gap Phase 2 project, which is measuring digital inclusion in 9 remote First Nations communities across Australia. This project is closely aligned with the national project and includes co-delivering survey and qualitative data collection with First Nations partner organisations in each site.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) sits within the College of Design and Social Context (DSC) and is a cross-disciplinary, national research centre, which aims to create the knowledge and strategies necessary for responsible, ethical, and inclusive automated decision-making. Funded by the Australian Research Council from 2020 to 2026, ADM+S is hosted at RMIT in Melbourne, Australia, with nodes in seven other Australian universities. The Centre brings together leading researchers in the humanities, social and technological sciences in an international industry, research and civil society network. Its priority domains for public engagement are news and media, transport, social services and health. Learn more about the ADM+S Centre here:  

To be successful in this position, you will have:  

• Completion of a PhD in a relevant discipline area.

• Demonstrated experience leading large/complex research projects (Level D), including overseeing the timely delivery of research milestones, coordinating fieldwork, budget management, and overseeing junior staff on the project team.

• Demonstrated experience in appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods, software and tools in a relevant research context.

• Demonstrated experience of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in the design, co-ordination and co-delivery of complex research projects.

• Demonstrated understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

• Demonstrated high level ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

• Proven scholarly writing skills and experience in preparing publications for a variety of audiences, including detailed project reports for internal and external audiences, and scholarly articles in high-quality refereed journals, book chapters, and/or books.

• Proven ability to work independently to generate distinctive contributions to scholarly knowledge and/or create real world outcomes (Level D).

• Well developed interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively as part of a high-achieving and collegial research culture.

• The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and research collaborators, including presentations at seminars, conferences and industry events.

• Willingness to travel to regional and remote Australia to conduct fieldwork.

• Demonstrated history of behaviour aligned to the RMIT values (inclusion, imagination, agility, courage, passion and impact) and RMIT's Leadership and Educator & Researcher frameworks

Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing and maintaining a Working with Children and National Police Check. 

About the ​College​ 

RMIT's College of Design & Social Context (DSC) brings together creative and practical study in the fields of design, technology and society. Comprised of nine schools, the College encompasses a wide variety of disciplines of the built environment, education, media & communication, global & social studies and across all fields of art and design. It is this breadth of expertise and the shared commitment to addressing the most urgent challenges and opportunities of our time through interdisciplinary collaboration that gives the College its unique identity.   

The College is recognised globally for its standing across numerous fields with Art and Design maintaining its number one spot in Australia and the Asia-Pacific, and 19th globally, in the 2023 QS World Rankings by Subject.

For more information see  

To Apply  

Please submit your CV and covering letter addressing ​your suitability​ for this position by clicking on the 'Apply' link at the top of this page.  
 

For further information about this position, please see the Position Description hyperlinked below or contact Daniel Featherstone, Principal Research Fellow ADM +S via email  

Position Description level A

Position Description level B

Position Description level C

Position Description level D

*This is an Identified position and being an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander is considered a 'genuine occupational qualification' in accordance with sub-s 26(3) and s 28 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010.

The successful applicant is required to provide confirmation of their Australian Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander heritage.

Please note, if you are viewing this advert from an external site, please click 'apply' and you will be redirected to RMIT's Jobs website to access the Position Description at the bottom of the page. Due to recent upgrades, position description links may not work on LinkedIn advertisements.    

Applications Close 11:55pm Sunday 16 November 2026

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RMIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to being a child safe organisation. We are dedicated to attracting, retaining and developing our people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and age. Applications are encouraged from all sectors of the community and we strongly encourage applications from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community. 

At RMIT, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively support and encourage people with disability to apply to RMIT (including alternate formats of application forms). To discuss adjustment requirements, please contact Dani, via or visit our Careers page for more contact information -

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