• School of Political Science & International Studies

• Part-time (70%), fixed-term position until 31 May 2028

• Base salary will be in the range $85,372 - $113,659 + 17% super (Academic Level A)

• Based at our vibrant and picturesque St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity 

This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Officer to develop your expertise and emerging research profile while contributing to the ARC Future Fellowship project, Paths to Primacy: How Rising Powers Win Domination in Asia, 1500–Present. Working closely with Professor Andrew Phillips in the School of Political Science and International Studies, you will join a collaborative and intellectually stimulating research environment exploring how rising powers have sought, achieved and maintained regional primacy across different historical periods and parts of Asia, and what these experiences mean for the contemporary evolution of international order.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: 

• Research: Undertake high-quality independent and collaborative research aligned with the Future Fellowship project, producing peer-reviewed publications and other scholarly and public-facing outputs, while developing a complementary research program, contributing to workshops, conferences and research meetings, and building purposeful networks with researchers, policy practitioners and external stakeholders.

• Supervision and Researcher Development: Contribute to the effective supervision and development of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students, as appropriate to the level of appointment.

• Citizenship and Service: Collaborate in School activities, support academic and operational priorities, demonstrate UQ values, and contribute to engagement with government, industry, professional bodies and the wider community.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

About You 

• Completion or near-completion of a PhD in International Relations.

• A research agenda demonstrably connected to rising powers, international order, Asian International Relations or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated capacity to undertake theoretically informed comparative or historical research.

• Evidence of research publications in reputable peer-reviewed academic outlets.

• Capacity to work both independently and collaboratively, including translating agreed project objectives into completed research outputs.

• Excellent research organisation, source-management and written and verbal communication skills.

• Expertise concerning one or more Asian regions or historical periods relevant to the project.

• Asian-language capability that supports the proposed research contribution, or experience communicating research to government, policy or public audiences, would be highly regarded.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, and within an environment where interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged. As part of our commitment to excellence in research and professional practice in academic contexts, we are proud to provide our staff with access to world-class facilities and equipment, grant writing support, greater research funding opportunities, and other forms of staff support and development.

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad: from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements, access to exclusive internal-only vacancies, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

Interested?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor Andrew Phillips at [email protected]. For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at [email protected], stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 

When you apply, please ensure you upload a resume, cover letter, and responses to the ‘About You’ section. Please note that applications received via email will not be accepted.

Other Information 

Pre-employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia and qualifications. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [email protected] or calling +61 7 3365 2623.

Applications close Monday, 28 September 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-69104). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for Monday, 12 October 2026.