Associate Director, Research Systems and Infrastructure

Apply now Job no:546934
Work type:Full-time
Location:Flexible
Categories:Management, Research

• Based at either our Geelong, Waterfront or Melbourne Burwood Campuses
• Full-time and Fixed Term for 5 years
• An attractive remuneration package to be offered including 17% Superannuation

Why work with us?

At Deakin you will have access to benefits such as a variety of leave options including generous parental leave and the ability to purchase additional leave; flexible working arrangements to help manage your work-life balance; ongoing learning and development opportunities to grow your career; an inclusive and supportive culture and environment to work in, both online and on campus.

Who are we?

Deakin is a cutting-edge public university in Victoria, revolutionizing education with 61,000 students across five campuses: Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront, Warrnambool, and our dynamic online Campus. We're proud to be a progressive and open-minded university, delivering the highest student satisfaction in Victoria and consistently ranked in the top 1% of the world's universities.

The Associate Director, Research Systems and Infrastructure is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of all research-related systems and large research infrastructure assets within Deakin. This role plays a critical part in ensuring that research activity operates efficiently, securely, and effectively, enabling researchers to conduct their work seamlessly.

Your leadership will be integral to the success of broader research systems and infrastructure, ensuring alignment with university goals and objectives. This position reports directly to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Planning and Governance and involves managing a team of highly skilled professionals.

As theAssociate Director, Research Systems and Infrastructure, you will:

• Manage Deakin’s research capability through research systems and infrastructure facilities.
• Develop a coordinated research approach to broader research facilities to ensure oversight of high value, large research infrastructure assets to ensure clarity on strategy, capital planning, access, utilisation, and cost, whilst ensuring scalability, reliability, and security of the infrastructure.
• Provide advice and develop policies in relation to major pieces of equipment used by researchers, identifying redundancies and opportunities for shared use and linking, where possible, research infrastructure to research outputs.
• Provide guidance and support to team members in delivering research systems and large-scale research infrastructure initiatives, ensuring their growth and development.
• Develop and execute a strategic research systems roadmap, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities for the ownership of research systems used across the university. Develop strategies to retain ownership of and support for orphaned research systems such as Footprints and Redcap.
• Identify and consider transformative research infrastructure to ensure Deakin remains competitive, unique and at the cutting edge.

In a typical week, you will:

• Establish benchmarks for team performance while flexibility managing resource limitations and time constraints. Display flexibility in responding to evolving demands. Foster an environment of continuous learning, encouraging team members by assigning responsibilities and tasks that empower them.
• Lead and motivate team members in resolving conflicts. Collaborate with peers from to identify and implement best practice approaches in strategic workforce management.
• Provide clear, constructive, and timely feedback in a manner that encourages learning and facilitates resolution. Grasp the strategic objectives and align activities accordingly, with a focus on long-term consequences.
• Define unambiguous performance standards and offer timely praise and recognition. Address under-performance promptly. Assume personal accountability for meeting objectives and driving progress. Exhibit proactive initiative by stepping in and fulfilling required tasks. Demonstrate unwavering commitment and drive towards goal achievement.
• Operate within the parameters of university objectives and professional standards. Contribute to research systems and infrastructure strategic direction and foster a collective sense of purpose by illustrating the integration of strategy components and their contribution to higher-level goals.
• Provide advice to senior leaders, influencing the overall direction, focus, and advancement of substantial programs. Monitor the external higher education landscape to inform the continual evolution and relevance of programs, systems, and processes.    

To be successful, you’ll have:

• Qualifications and experience commensurate with appointment at level
• Demonstrated experience in project management, with a focus on research systems and infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies, infrastructure and technology needs across different scientific disciplines.
• Demonstrated capacity to build and maintain strong and productive relationships with internal and external partners and customers.
• Highly developed consulting, interpersonal, communication (written and oral) and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative work teams and proven capability to achieve quality customer service to clients and quality improvement to a wide range of practices and services.

Here's how to apply: 

Please submit your updated resume and a short cover letter outlining your skills and experience.

For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Peter Enticott Associate Dean, Research, Office of the Exec Dean Health, via [email protected]

For a copy of the position description, please see below:

 PD - Associate Director, Research Systems and Infrastructure_ HEW 10+ (546934).pdf

Applications for this position close on Sunday 21 January 2024.

Are You Ready?

Deakin is a Victorian university with a global impact. We are an agile, dynamic, and innovative university committed to making a positive impact through our excellence in education, research and innovation and the contributions we make to the wider community.

We understand that our reputation has been built on the dedication and expertise of our staff and we offer a dynamic and diverse working environment with opportunities to grow and develop careers. We believe that a progressive, thriving culture will ensure that people choose to come, and stay at Deakin and contribute to our ongoing success.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences. We support and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all abilities, cultures, sexual orientation, and genders.

Advertised:21 Dec 2023 AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:21 Jan 2024 AUS Eastern Daylight Time