- School of Business and Creative Industries | UniSC Sunshine Coast in Sippy Downs located on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi Peoples
- Academic Level B - $118,481 - $140,567 p.a., plus up to 17% employer superannuation
- Full-time, ongoing appointment
The School of Business and Creative Industries (SBCI)
School of Business and Creative Industries: Ready to make an impact in a dynamic world?
Are you driven to make a difference in a constantly evolving world? We invite passionate educators and industry experts to join our inspiring team within the School of Business and Creative Industries (SBCI). Our mission is “educating to make a difference”, empowering students with innovative and sustainable practices to tackle global challenges head-on. With strong industry partnerships and a focus on practical experience, you'll play a key role in preparing future leaders and practitioners for exciting careers.
The Opportunity
The School of Business and Creative Industries is seeking a Lecturer in First Nations Contemporary Art and Design to contribute to the strategic development of Design at UniSC. This is a distinctive opportunity for an active practising First Nations contemporary artist and/or designer to shape culturally responsive design education, creative practice research and community engagement. You will play a key role in strengthening the Bachelor of Design by embedding First Nations knowledges, perspectives and protocols across teaching and learning, supporting students to develop ethical, inclusive, socially responsible and sustainable approaches to contemporary design practice.
A key focus of the role will be teaching in Design on Country, an immersive learning experience exploring what it means to work respectfully on Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Butchulla Country. Through fieldwork, cultural experiences and Indigenous-led perspectives, you will support students to engage meaningfully with Country, culture and contemporary design practice. Working reciprocally with Traditional Custodians, artists, designers, cultural knowledge holders and community organisations, you will bring cultural authority and contemporary creative practice into the classroom, while contributing to creative practice and interdisciplinary research and supporting the next generation of First Nations artists, designers and researchers.
For more information please visit us online: School of Business and Creative Industries
You will:
- Shape First Nations design education: embed First Nations knowledges, perspectives and cultural protocols across the Bachelor of Design and contribute to innovative, culturally responsive curriculum.
- Teach and create on Country: lead and contribute to Design on Country, connecting students with Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Butchulla Country through place-based, fieldwork and immersive learning.
- Grow creative practice and community impact: develop creative practice research and outputs while building reciprocal relationships with Traditional Custodians, artists, designers, cultural knowledge holders and communities.
About you:
You will be an active practising First Nations contemporary artist and/or designer with demonstrated cultural connections to Kabi Kabi, Jinibara or Butchulla Country. You will bring contemporary creative practice, cultural knowledge and a strong understanding of First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing, together with the ability to contribute to teaching, research and engagement at university level.
You will be a collaborative and culturally capable educator who can build respectful and reciprocal relationships with Traditional Custodians, artists, designers, cultural knowledge holders and communities. You will be committed to creating culturally safe learning environments and supporting students to engage ethically and meaningfully with Country, culture and contemporary creative practice.
You will possess:
- A doctoral qualification in First Nations contemporary art, design or a related creative discipline, or equivalent standing through significant professional and creative practice, cultural knowledge, community engagement and scholarly achievement.
- A strong record as an active practising contemporary artist and/or designer, with creative outcomes recognised by communities, the arts and design sector or relevant professional networks.
- Experience, or demonstrated capacity, to design and deliver effective, culturally safe and inclusive learning experiences in higher education, professional, community or cultural contexts.
- Demonstrated knowledge and application of First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing, cultural protocols and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, with an ethical and reciprocal approach to working with Country and community.
- A developing record of scholarly and creative practice outputs appropriate to Academic Level B, including exhibitions, creative works, practice-led research, publications, community-led outcomes or other recognised research outputs.
- The ability to establish and sustain respectful relationships with Traditional Custodians, artists, designers, cultural knowledge holders, communities and professional partners, and contribute positively to a collegial academic environment.
Identified position and support
The University of the Sunshine Coast considers that being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational requirement for this position under s25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) and the filling of this position constitutes a special/equal opportunity measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth).
The position is therefore only open to Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
We recognise that cultural knowledge, community leadership, lived experience and professional expertise are valuable strengths and encourage applicants from diverse career pathways to apply.
How to apply
Position description: 
494892_Lecturer in First Nations Contemporary Art and Design.pdf
Applications close 11:55pm, Sunday 1 November 2026.
- a resume, and a response to selection criteria. Noting that within the application form, we will request a statement addressing each of the selection criteria contained within the position description.
Have questions or want to know more? For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Dr Leah Barclay
Discipline Lead and Senior Lecturer in Design - School of Business and Creative Industries
Email: lbarclay@usc.edu.au
Further information regarding how to prepare your application is available on our website: Join our team.
Discover UniSC
Our Culture & Benefits:
At UniSC, our culture is built around flexibility, respect and trust, with employment conditions that recognise cultural responsibilities alongside professional commitments.
You will have access to:
- Indigenous‑specific employment provisions under UniSC’s Enterprise Agreement, including paid cultural leave and support for cultural and community responsibilities;
- flexible work arrangements that support connection to Country, community and family;
- culturally informed wellbeing support, including access to employee assistance services;
- professional development and career progression opportunities, with support that recognises achievement relative to opportunity;
- respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander intellectual and cultural knowledges, with clear protections around ownership, consent and ethical use. modern teaching, research and work environments across our Sunshine Coast and South East Queensland campuses; and
- a collegial, values‑led workplace where relationships, respect and care for people matter.
Support doesn't end at recruitment. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are supported through culturally informed onboarding, professional development, mentoring opportunities and ongoing cultural support throughout their employment journey. The successful candidate will join a growing network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic and professional staff across UniSC and be supported through established Indigenous leadership, employment and community engagement initiatives.
These benefits sit alongside UniSC’s broader commitment to providing a safe, supportive and flexible workplace where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff can build sustainable, meaningful careers.
For more information, visit https://careers.usc.edu.au/employer-information