Academic careers

As an academic, you know how important it is to be supported with funding, state-of-the-art resources, an inclusive workplace and a community of the brightest minds to pursue your goals. The University of Sydney has historically refined these attributes to produce some of the world’s most prestigious opportunities and alumni.

We are one of Australia’s premier research universities with more than 150 research centres and institutes strategically situated to meet your local, regional, and international needs and interests. We enjoy significant funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council, as well as research partnerships with 13 federal government-funded Cooperative Research Centres.

We push boundaries in an atmosphere of intellectual dynamism, cross-discipline collaboration and intensity. We can give you what you need to thrive, enhance your standing, and fulfil your ambitions. The next move is yours.

A life of the mind is not a solitary pursuit

As members of an intellectual community, our people believe that if everyone is thinking the same thing, someone’s not thinking. They are sharp, original, sometimes confronting, and always engaged. We believe we are all accountable to the public good, and embrace collaboration in order to honour that commitment. Our life stories, academic passions and career trajectories are diverse, but we all have one thing in common – we want to make a difference.

Professor Jennie Brand-Miller

Professor Jennie Brand-Miller has been at the University of Sydney for over 35 years, and attributes her longevity with her passion for all things nutrition and the desire to make a difference. An acclaimed pioneer in glycaemic index (GI) research, she is very proud to have been part of a team which ‘took the research out of the ivory tower and translated it into something that the average person on the street could understand and use'. Her team co-authored bestselling popular books (3.5 million copies in print in 12 languages) about the GI, developed a commercial GI testing and research service for the food industry and set up a not-for-profit spin-off company to run the GI Food Symbol program. Today, her focus is on carbohydrates during human evolution and the potential for different diets to match individual differences.

ARC Laureate Fellow, Professor Rick Shine

Professor Rick Shine's research concerns the interface between evolution and ecology, particularly in reptiles (snakes and lizards). In recent years, his work has shifted to focus on major issues in conservation, especially the biology, impact and control of invasive species such as the cane toad. He is interested in the interplay between different aspects of organismal biology, and how we can translate the results of research into effective conservation.

Professor Kathy Belov

Professor Kathy Belov is Pro-Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) and Professor of Comparative Genomics in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences. She manages the development and execution of the University’s global engagement strategy, including the development of international research collaborations and promotion of the University’s position in the academic and research community. Her research expertise is in the area of comparative genomics and immunogenetics of Australian wildlife, including Tasmanian devils and koalas, two iconic species that are threatened by disease processes.