- $250,000 to $270,000 per annum will be offered during the period of secondment as Director, iLAuNCH (to June 2028). Outside of secondment remuneration will align with Professor Level E salary.
- Full-time continuing appointment
- Toowoomba OR Springfield campus
- Status/Term of position: Full-time, continuing position
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Remuneration: $250,000 to $270,000 per annum will be offered during the period of secondment as Director, iLAuNCH Trailblazer Program (to June 2028). This package reflects the additional executive leadership responsibilities of the Director role.
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Outside of the secondment period, remuneration will align with the standard Professor (Level E) salary and conditions in accordance with the University’s Enterprise Agreement ($249,636 which includes a salary of $210,530 plus 17% superannuation plus annual leave loading)
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Campus location: Toowoomba or Springfield campus
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Visa sponsorship may be considered for the preferred candidate, subject to eligibility.
The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) is proud to lead the nationally significant iLAuNCH (Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications and Hypersonics) Trailblazer Program—a bold collaboration between UniSQ, The Australian National University, the University of South Australia and industry partners that is accelerating Australia's sovereign space capability and advanced manufacturing future.
We are seeking an exceptional academic and industry leader to take on the role of Professor and Director, iLAuNCH Trailblazer Program. This is a unique opportunity to lead one of Australia's most significant space research, innovation and commercialisation initiatives, shaping the future of the nation's space sector while driving collaboration across industry, government and the higher education sector.
As Director, you will lead the next phase of iLAuNCH's growth and impact, building strategic partnerships, securing new opportunities, and translating world-class research and intellectual property into high-value commercial outcomes. You will guide a multidisciplinary team and oversee a portfolio spanning research, commercialisation, workforce development and industry engagement, helping position Australia as a global leader in space technologies and advanced manufacturing.
This is a rare opportunity to shape a nationally important program at the intersection of research commercialisation and industry collaboration — guiding a dedicated team while positioning iLAuNCH for its next phase of growth and innovation.
This position is advertised as a continuing Professor (Level E) appointment, recognising the seniority and strategic importance of the role within UniSQ’s academic leadership cohort. Upon appointment, the successful candidate will be seconded to the position of Director, iLAuNCH Trailblazer Program through to June 2028, during which they will lead the program’s next phase of growth, impact, and engagement. Following the secondment, the incumbent will continue in an ongoing Professorial role, contributing to the University’s research, teaching, and engagement priorities.
You are an accomplished and respected leader with a strong track record of delivering research, innovation, commercialisation or industry-led initiatives at scale. Whether your background is in academia, industry, government or a combination of sectors, you bring the strategic vision, leadership capability and stakeholder influence needed to lead a nationally significant program.
You build credibility quickly, cultivate trusted relationships and communicate with confidence across diverse stakeholder groups. You are comfortable operating in complex, multi-partner environments, balancing competing priorities while maintaining a clear focus on achieving outcomes and delivering long-term value.
Most importantly, you are energised by innovation and the opportunity to shape the future. You are motivated by building sustainable programs, strengthening research translation and commercialisation pathways, and creating new partnership and business development opportunities that deliver meaningful economic and societal impact. You lead with integrity, inspire high-performing teams and are passionate about positioning organisations, industries and people for long-term success.
As Professor and Director, iLAuNCH, you will provide strategic leadership for one of Australia's most significant research, innovation and commercialisation initiatives. Setting a clear vision for long-term growth and sustainability, you will lead the next phase of this nationally significant, multi-partner program, working at the intersection of research, industry and government to ensure iLAuNCH continues to deliver impact well beyond its current funding horizon.
You will oversee a complex portfolio of research, development and commercialisation activities, driving research excellence, industry engagement and translational outcomes at scale. Through strong governance, disciplined execution and effective stakeholder engagement, you will lead a distributed ecosystem of university, industry and government partners to achieve ambitious strategic objectives.
A key focus of the role will be accelerating the translation of world-class research and intellectual property into real-world outcomes—unlocking commercial opportunities, advancing Australia's sovereign space capability and strengthening the nation's space manufacturing sector. You will champion innovation and entrepreneurship, foster high-value partnerships and position iLAuNCH as a recognised leader in space research, development and commercialisation.
In your first year, you will establish a compelling strategic roadmap for the program's future, strengthen alignment and collaboration across partner organisations, and secure new investment and business development opportunities that underpin long-term sustainability. Ultimately, this role offers the opportunity to shape a flagship national initiative and leave a lasting legacy within Australia's innovation and space technology landscape.
Success in the role will be defined by your ability to build and sustain influential partnerships across industry, government and academia, both nationally and internationally. You will elevate the profile of iLAuNCH, positioning it as a recognised leader in advanced technologies and space capability, while fostering a culture that values innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking.
At Level E, you are expected to demonstrate outstanding leadership in organizational or program-level strategy and national/international standing in your field as well as demonstrating:
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A distinguished research track record of research excellence with national and international recognition
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Experience leading large-scale research, innovation or commercialisation initiatives
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Success building influential partnerships across industry, government and academia
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Ability to translate research into commercial and real-world outcomes
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Outstanding leadership skills
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Ability to shape strategy and influence stakeholders
For further information about this role, please contact via or .
Building on its strengths as Australia’s leading regional University, UniSQ’s vision is to be renowned for innovation and excellence in education, student experience, research and engagement. Guided by our core values of respect, integrity and excellence, the University’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025 outlines our commitment to creating and sharing knowledge, transforming lives and solving the problems that matter to our world.
The University offers a range of different ways of working and connecting across our physical and virtual spaces to meet the needs of our students, partners and community. We value diversity and strive to foster an inclusive environment that is underpinned by our values and champions, embraces and respects differences.
We support and encourage applications from all diversity groups. With an increasingly diverse workforce, we understand that careers may be placed on hold or limited throughout many life circumstances.
Find out more about UniSQ at www.unisq.edu.au.
Reference Number: 0112_05/26
Location: Toowoomba or Springfield campus
Term: Full-time continuing appointment (37.5 hours/week)
Salary: Total remuneration range $250,000 to $270,000 per annum will be offered during the period of secondment as Director, iLAuNCH Trailblazer Program (to June 2028). This package reflects the additional executive leadership responsibilities of the Director role.
Outside of the secondment period, remuneration will align with the standard Professor (Level E) salary and conditions in accordance with the University’s Enterprise Agreement $249,636 pa (includes salary range of $210,530 pa, employer super contributions of 17% and annual leave loading)
Closes: Thursday, 18 June 2026 at 11:30 pm (AEST)
At UniSQ we are united by our core values of Respect, Integrity and Excellence, which guide our daily actions and decision-making. UniSQ is a child safe organisation.
As part of the University of Southern Queensland's commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and rewarding work environment and in compliance with our legal obligations, we require candidates to declare whether they have been investigated for an allegation of Gender Based Violence, or determined to have engaged in conduct that constitutes Gender Based Violence, during the course of their previous employment or in any legal process.
This information helps us meet our legal obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence, and will be considered when determining a candidate's suitability for employment, so that we can keep our University community safe.
If you know that this role is right for you, please submit your current resume together with a two-page (maximum) statement, outlining your skills and experience relative to ‘Who we’re looking for’ in the position description.
For more information on our selection process please refer to your recruitment journey, available on our website.
