Job Overview & Organization Mission

Conduct world-leading foundational research in large multimodal models, embodied AI robotics, and safe reinforcement learning at UNSW Sydney.

UNSW Sydney’s School of Computer Science and Engineering is seeking an internationally recognized Principal Artificial Intelligence Research Fellow. You will establish an ambitious research program in generative AI, foundation models, and embodied robotic perception, securing competitive grant funding, supervising doctoral candidates, and publishing in premier AI venues (NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, IROS).

As a key member of the team at UNSW Sydney in Sydney, NSW, you will play a central role in driving excellence, upholding top-tier Australian industry standards, and contributing directly to the strategic milestones of one of the nation’s premier employers.

Key Duties & Core Responsibilities

In this critical role, your operational duties and key performance responsibilities will encompass:

• Lead cutting-edge: Lead cutting-edge scientific research in foundational machine learning, multi-modal reasoning, or robot reinforcement learning.
• Secure national: Secure national and international competitive research grants (ARC Discovery, Industry Linkage, defense grants).
• Publish top-tier: Publish top-tier research papers in leading AI conferences (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR).
• Supervise and: Supervise and mentor PhD researchers, post-doctoral fellows, and honours engineering students.
• Partner with: Partner with global technology companies (Google, Microsoft, CSIRO) to translate foundational AI into real-world applications.

Required Qualifications, Licenses & Experience

To be successful in this position at UNSW Sydney, candidates are expected to satisfy the following essential selection criteria:

• Mandatory Qualification: PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, or Artificial Intelligence.
• Relevant Experience: Minimum 7+ Years of verified industry experience in Australia or recognized overseas equivalence.
• PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or Machine Learning.
• Distinguished publication record in top-tier machine learning conferences and journals.
• Proven track record securing research funding and leading collaborative research teams.
• Exceptional technical mastery of deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, JAX) and high-performance GPU clusters.

Core Competencies & Key Technical Proficiencies

The successful applicant will possess demonstrated capabilities across the following domain skill sets:

Salary, Compensation & Employee Benefits

At UNSW Sydney, we understand that our people drive our achievements. An outstanding remuneration and wellbeing package is provided in line with Australian benchmarks:

• Competitive Remuneration: AU$165,000 – AU$195,000 per year + standard Australian Superannuation (11.5%).
• Remuneration $165,000 – $195,000 + 17% superannuation.
• Kensington campus with access to Australia’s fastest GPU supercomputing clusters.
• Generous conference travel grants, sabbatical leave entitlements, and relocation support.
• Leave Entitlements: 4 weeks annual leave (with 17.5% annual leave loading where applicable) plus 10 days paid personal/carer’s leave.
• Flexible Work: Progressive work-life balance options with supportive corporate culture and leadership development pathways.

About the Employer: UNSW Sydney

UNSW Sydney is a powerhouse of technological innovation and engineering excellence, ranked in the global top 20 universities.

UNSW Sydney is deeply committed to building diverse, equitable, and culturally inclusive work environments. We proudly celebrate diversity and welcome applications from all qualified individuals including First Nations Australians, people with disabilities, and candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Application Process & Next Steps

Applications for this position are currently open and being reviewed on a rolling basis. Suitable candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible before the published closing date.

Please prepare an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a tailored Cover Letter highlighting your relevant experience against the key selection criteria outlined above.

To proceed with your application, click the Apply on Employer Site button to access the official UNSW Sydney careers gateway.