A successful application to the Global Talent Attraction Program will be career-changing. Selected candidates will be positioned to accelerate science-led innovation across sectors of national importance, gaining opportunities to drive Australia’s advancements in key areas of science, industry and academia.
The Academy’s extensive network and established donor and research community will offer successful candidates unparalleled advantages through access to resources, professional opportunities and wide-ranging support.
The Global Talent Attraction Program brings together the Academy’s profile and leadership, the researchers’ world-leading expertise, the resources and commitment of host institutions, the support of governments and the vision of philanthropic partners in a uniquely collaborative program.
Successful candidates will be matched with funded positions in Australian research institutes and organisations, located in various centres around the country. The Academy will work with relevant government departments to facilitate smooth and efficient visa processing, clearing the way for global leaders in science to enter and work in Australia.
The program’s flexible financial model means wider provision than traditional research funding. Contributions from donors and partners are pooled to help bring world-class scientists to Australia, where they can drive innovation, strengthen research capability and deliver long-lasting impact on industry, policy and knowledge.
The funding can potentially cover research salaries and expenses, relocation costs and essential services to help the researchers and their families settle and thrive. Distribution of funds is not tied to particular institutions or disciplines, to allow talent to be placed wherever excellence meets need.
The Global Talent Attraction Program is a coordinated strategy for filling key capability gaps in science in Australia. Being institution- and discipline-agnostic, the program can recruit and place world-leading researchers where national research and innovation needs are greatest. Allocation of talent and resources is flexible, allowing for case-by-case assessment of need.
Recruitment of top-tier scientists and technologists will not only add immediate expertise and knowledge to the Australian pool but also boost the nation’s ability to independently generate and apply vital scientific knowledge and skills in the future. The presence of world-class research talent will have a multiplier effect, expanding research and development capability, offering additional mentorship for local researchers, and reinforcing Australia’s competitiveness and innovation resilience.
Successful candidates for the Global Talent Attraction Program will empower Australian scientific innovation with new knowledge, techniques and research cultures. Such top-tier expertise will seed new research areas and outputs, with long-term contracts assuring resilience and scalability. The Academy’s national and international networks will fast-track additional collaborations, partnerships and industry links. Australian innovation in science and technology has never held so much potential.
In selecting candidates, the program focuses on excellence, national need and impact potential rather than predetermined quotas or institutional preferences. Exceptional applicants from the entire spectrum of STEM sectors may be considered. Host institutions can seek candidates that align closely with their own research priorities and growth strategies instead of choosing from a narrow pool. Cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration for tackling complex issues can be easily facilitated.
Placing the best minds where they can flourish and deliver the greatest national benefit is key for Australia’s scientific advancement and excellence.
The Global Talent Attraction Program is initially focused on US-based scientists and technologists, offering them a unique opportunity to access stable and well-supported research positions where they can continue to lead their fields and deliver national impact.
The US pool of scientific excellence, concentrated in many of the world’s top research institutes and universities, is rich and diverse, and as these researchers increasingly consider international mobility, Australia has an urgent and unparalleled opportunity to attract their top-tier capability and talent.
Candidates for the Global Talent Attraction Program must be sponsored by a current Australian Academy of Science Fellow, whose endorsement must be included in the application submission. This requirement ensures sound validation of applicants, upholds the program’s integrity and assists with alignment of talent to need.
The program is open to Australian and non-Australian citizens who are internationally recognised for exceptional achievement in their fields. US-based candidates of any nationality, including Australians currently living in the US, are welcome to apply. Candidates who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent visa holders must be eligible for consideration under the National Innovation Visa program (subclass 858) expression of interest pathway.
Applicants residing in Australia are ineligible, regardless of citizenship or visa status.
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