RMIT University – School of Engineering

Position: Head of Department and Associate Dean, Biomedical Engineering
Employment Type: Full-time, 3-year fixed-term leadership appointment with an underlying continuing Level E Professorial position
Salary: Academic Level E – $227,847 p.a. + leadership allowance + 17% superannuation
Location: Melbourne City campus, with possible work across other University campuses
Application Closing Date: 9 August 2026, 11.59 pm

About the Role

The Head of Department and Associate Dean, Biomedical Engineering will provide strategic and scholarly leadership across the Department’s research, learning and teaching, people leadership, and operational priorities. As a member of the School Executive, the Head will work closely with the Dean and senior leaders to deliver the School’s strategic plans at Department level, strengthen the staff experience, and build a high-performing academic community.

With greater autonomy and local decision-making moving to Departments, this role will play a key part in identifying investment priorities, driving innovation in teaching and research, managing risk, and delivering against agreed KPIs.

Established in April 2024, the Biomedical Engineering Department is a growing and strategically important area for RMIT. The School is seeking a leader who can develop and deliver a bold vision for the discipline, deepen collaboration with the School of Health and Biosciences, and expand partnerships in advanced manufacturing and materials science. Supported by investment from the School and STEM College, this is an opportunity to shape the next stage of Biomedical Engineering at RMIT.

About You

To be successful in this position, you’ll have:

Strong academic leadership and management skills with demonstrated ability to lead teams and deliver on strategic objectives.
Established research record in biomedical engineering at the national level and an internationally recognised research track record through the attraction of external funding with demonstrated capacity to lead and promote excellence in research.
Proven record of teaching experience, with an understanding of contemporary learning and teaching priorities and a demonstrated ability to lead improvement of academic standards, including implementing best practice teaching strategies and dissemination of innovative practices.
Strong knowledge and understanding of industry priorities.
Evidence of demonstrated strategic leadership in a large organisational unit or University-wide initiative and effective membership of a management team that developed and achieved shared goals and objectives.
Demonstrated experience in financial, governance and quality management systems within a University.
Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, communication and negotiating skills including the ability to consult with senior executives, external bodies, produce executive reports, negotiate agreed directions, outcomes and targets within a collaborative environment.

Please view the position descriptions for further selection criteria.

Qualifications

Mandatory:

PhD in relevant field combined with knowledge and achievements that meet the professorial criteria.

Please Note:

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

The School of Engineering

The School of Engineering is one of the largest Engineering Schools in Australia. It has over 350 staff and 7000 students, including 800 HDR students. The School is committed to driving innovation and collaboration through our industry partnerships. Our industry partners range from small companies to multinational organisations and we work together on translating our research into impact for our partners and the wider community.

The School comprises the following Departments:

Aerospace Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Mechanical, Manufacturing and Mechatronics Engineering

The School is developing new industry led degrees, where our students learn whilst working for companies, as well as innovation hubs where we will co-locate industry partners, our research teams and our undergraduate students.

Over the next three to five years the School of Engineering will support these new strategic plans through investments in new facilities. This will include reimaging our teaching laboratories, where we will use new digital technologies to enhance the student experience, as well as research labs where partnerships with industry will enable us to maintain leading research facilities.

RMIT is a global university and the School of Engineering has students and research partners across South East Asia and Europe. This includes two campuses in Vietnam, as well as partnerships in Hong Kong, Singapore and a partnership with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. The School also has a research centre in Barcelona, which provides access to European funding and industry partners. The School will continue to grow its international activities with the aim of becoming a globally connected School that translates technologies and training across continents.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/engineering

To Apply

Please submit your application by clicking the Apply link at the top of the page.

Your application should include:

A current CV (including a full list of research outputs and publications).
A cover letter.
A separate document addressing the Key Selection Criteria for the Head of Department and Associate Dean position.

For further information about this position, please see the Position Description hyperlinked below.

Position Description – Head of Department and Associate Dean, Biomedical Engineering
Position Description – Underlying Professor (Level E)

For further information regarding recruitment processes, please contact Jennifer Pham, Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor via jennifer.pham2@rmit.edu.au.

Please do not share your application to this email address.

Application Deadline

Applications close 9 August 2026 at 11.59 pm.

Equal Opportunity and Recruitment Information

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.

In line with RMIT University’s commitment to a safe, respectful and inclusive environment, from 1 January 2026, the University will also consider gender-based violence (GBV) risk factors as part of our recruitment processes. All applicants will be required to complete a gender-based violence declaration in accordance with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. Preferred candidates will also be required to undertake relevant pre-employment background checks, including Working With Children Checks. Information provided will be treated confidentially and considered only for its relevance to the role and RMIT’s safety obligations.

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 talentsupport@rmit.edu.au or visit the Careers page for more contact information:

https://www.rmit.edu.au/careers

RMIT is a Circle Back Initiative Employer and commits to respond to every applicant.