Address- SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
- $134,035 to $154,013pa (ALEVC); or $160,672 to $176,649pa (ALEVD) + 17% SUPERANNUATION
- TEACHING AND RESEARCH ROLE
- ONGOING, FULL-TIME, JOONDALUP/MOUNT LAWLEY CAMPUS
We are seeking a passionate academic leader who can help the School achieve its commitment to decolonisation and active valuing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges through teaching and research.
This opportunity is offered in accordance with section 50(d) of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA) and the occupant of this position must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
Summary
The School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University has a strong commitment to further develop as a scholarly community where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being, knowing and working are recognised, valued, and infused throughout our teaching and research programs. We have identified the need to appoint an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander academic to serve as Academic Lead Indigenous Knowledges to provide school-wide leadership in this endeavour and who will also contribute to one or more of our disciplines as a teacher and researcher.
The Role
The Academic Lead Indigenous Knowledges will be responsible for providing school-wide leadership to ensure our teaching and research are respectful of and informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being, knowing and working. The Lead will be an integral part of the School’s Leadership Network and will work closely with all members of the School Executive, particularly the Executive Dean.
In broad terms, the work of Academic Lead will constitute around 50% of this position, with the remaining time devoted to research and/or teaching, with expectations of performance that recognise the primary allocation of work to leadership. It is expected that you will occupy this leadership role for at least five years and during that time develop succession planning to continue the growth of the School’s employment of additional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academics.
As Academic Lead, you will contribute to expanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment opportunities, both through prioritised appointments of Indigenous-identified positions and development of other pathways such as sessional academic appointments. Additionally, you will help with reviews of curriculum and research activities; this work is a shared responsibility across the school and your role will be to advise, assist, challenge and support everyone engaged in it. You will be enabled to develop appropriate advisory mechanisms involving external stakeholders, experts, and cultural knowledge holders to inform the School’s activities.
As a teaching and/or research academic, you will be expected to design and deliver units and courses of study, as well as undertake research projects and assist in research supervision. With several new courses commencing in 2025 and 2026 you will also have the opportunity to take leadership of content and curriculum in areas of your expertise.
The Academic Lead Indigenous Knowledges, as a scholar with their own specific disciplinary expertise and interests, will be a member of one of the following academic groups within the school and report to the Associate Dean who leads their group:
- Communication and Culture
- Counselling
- Criminology and Justice
- Design
- Psychology (including a distinct group for professional and clinical psychology)
- Screen and Media Production
- Social Ageing Futures (research only)
- Social Sciences, Social Work and Youth Work
- Visual Arts
You will also be encouraged to strengthen links between the School and Kurongkurl Katitjin (Edith Cowan University’s Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research) and work on shared projects with staff in Kurongkurl Katitjin.
Selection Criteria
At ECU, we recognise academic leadership in a contemporary and inclusive way. We acknowledge that cultural knowledge, professional experience, and industry expertise are vital to academia. You will have a Master’s degree (for appointment as a Senior Lecturer) or a PhD (for appointment as an Associate Professor), or can demonstrate experience and expertise equivalent to those qualifications; applicants who are in the process of obtaining those qualifications are also welcome to apply and discuss appropriate support to be provided to assist in completing studies in a timely manner.
You will also be able to demonstrate a close connection with, and ability to contribute to, one or more of the disciplines which make of the School of Arts and Humanities (please contact us to discuss how to make your case for appointment to one or more disciplines).
You will need to demonstrate, based on prior achievement and potential for development, your capability to deliver:
- Leadership (both formal and informal) which will drive and sustain the school’s successful achievement of a scholarly environment deeply respectful of, and infused with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
- Teaching (including online teaching and work-integrated learning) that generates sustained excellence in the student experience with a particular emphasis on the vital role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges can play in better student learning outcomes and graduate success.
- Research (including, where appropriate to you, creative arts practice) with a particular emphasis on undertaking projects that are Indigenous-led, Indigenous-designed, and which bring advantage to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
- Engagement with external stakeholders that advances teaching and research success through industry and community links, and which allows the School to develop respectful and reciprocal partnerships with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisations.
- Innovation in identifying problems and designing solutions that help achieve the goals of the school and university.
Prior experience of working within universities is desirable but not essential: we equally value your experience and knowledge gained within other fields of employment and in cultural practice as it enhances your capability to move into higher education. For some applicants, in fields such as social work, counselling, psychology and community work, eligibility for membership of a relevant professional association is desirable.
You will be expected to demonstrate personal attributes congruent with the University’s values of integrity, respect, rational inquiry, personal excellence, and courage.
About SAH and ECU
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is a young and progressive university with a strong reputation for excellence in teaching. ECU has been rated the maximum of five stars for teaching quality by their graduates for 17 years in a row, making ECU the only public university in Australia to achieve such a consistently high rating. ECU’s reputation for teaching quality and student experience has been built on the productive relationships they have with their students, industry, communities, and alumni- sharing knowledge for the benefit of all. It also has a strong focus in research towards making a real difference in people’s lives and the communities in which they thrive. ECU is committed to reconciliation and recognises and respects the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ communities, cultures and histories.
The School of Arts and Humanities (SAH) is one of the largest at ECU with many diverse disciplines arranged into three main clusters: Creative Humanities; Psychology, Counselling and Criminology; and Social Sciences, Social Work and Youth Work. The School operates across four campuses, with more than 140 academic and professional staff, and has a strong online education presence. The diversity of the School is a strength, enabling interdisciplinary innovation, a sustainable financial platform, and many opportunities for collaborations with industry and community. In 2026, the School will begin to operate its creative humanities program from the outstanding new ECU City Campus while maintaining and expanding operations at ECU’s Joondalup and South West campuses and our off-shore campus in Sri Lanka.
We have the ambition to be an outstanding school whose research and teaching build the caring and creative professions and contribute to achieving more equal and positive social relations; fostering the realisation of individual human potential; and enabling diverse creative expression. Our key priorities for the period 2024-2029 are: care, climate change, decolonisation, digital futures, global transformation, intersectional inclusion, and storytelling, enabled by an operational emphasis on engagement, leadership, partnerships, and school solidarity.
Of particular significance for this role is our core commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and all Indigenous Peoples that we will actively engage in learning and unlearning, guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being, knowing and doing, to address injustices and barriers to inclusion, and build respectful and reciprocal relationships.
Flexible Appointment
This position may suit applicants who wish to work four days a week (0.8 FTE) in a continuing capacity at ECU while maintaining other important external activities; it may also suit applicants whose focus is more strongly towards teaching or research, rather than a mix of both. Please feel free to discuss your interests and preferences to enable us to consider your needs as well as those of ECU.
Benefits & Remuneration
This position provides a full-time salary of $134,035 to $154,013pa(ALEVC); or $160,672 to $176,649pa (ALEVD) plus 17% university superannuation.
- Paid Cultural and Ceremonial Leave
- Be a part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff Network
- Access to ongoing professional development
- Supportive work/life balance including ability to negotiate flexible working arrangements
- Award-winning Health and Wellness Program, with an extensive range of staff benefits
For information on the benefits of working at ECU, please visit our website Employment Opportunities Overview.
ECU is a smoke-free environment.
How to Apply
Please upload your CV and a statement (maximum 4 pages) that clearly illustrates your suitability for the position and the positive impact you will have on the school and ECU if selected. You should highlight key examples of your experience and your capabilities: you do not need to address each point in turn so long as all the criteria are covered.
Please include details for three referees including your current supervisor / manager (we will not contact referees without your approval).
Contact
Interested applicants are welcome to contact Professor Matthew Allen, Executive Dean, Arts and Humanities on ********@ecu.edu.au to discuss the role and learn more about the exciting opportunities within the school.
You are also encouraged to contact Tillara Casey, Strategy and Talent Consultant (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) via email *******@ecu.edu.au to seek more information about ECU’s commitment to cultural safety, inclusion, and respect.
Closing Date
Applications close on Sunday 19 May 2024 at 11:30 pm.
More information
School of Arts and Humanities Plan (2024-2029): Purpose, Principles, Ambition and Strategic Directions.
Edith Cowan University is a diverse and inclusive workplace reflecting the differences in society. Specific strategies and initiatives are in place to address underrepresentation. Applications are encouraged from all suitably qualified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
