The South Australian Government appoints a Chief Scientist for a three year consultancy basis to provide independent advice to the State Government on science, research, technology and innovation and to advise and support the research sector in South Australia.

The fourth Chief Scientist for South Australia, Dr Leanna Read, will finish her term at the end of March 2018.  By tradition, the outgoing Chief Scientist provides advice to the Minister and Premier on the profile of the next Chief Scientist, as well as potential candidates.

The appointment is formally part-time (currently 50% time), but in practice can be more time-consuming and needs to take priority over other commitments.  Consideration also needs to be given to potential conflict of interest from other ongoing roles.

The next Chief Scientist could be a scientist currently working in SA, interstate or overseas, and in either the public research sector or industry.

The preferred skills and experience for the SA Chief Scientist span the following:

  • Well respected scientist who is a leader in either public research or industry
  • Peer recognition ­ such as through Fellowship of scientific academies (e.g. Academy of Science or Academy of Technological Sciences)
  • Strong strategic focus
  • Inspiring leadership qualities
  • Well networked
  • Strong international experience
  • Strategic capability in technology transfer
  • Understanding of both research and commercialisation
  • Capability to work with government agencies, universities and the private sector
  • Capacity and enthusiasm to support all sectors
  • Interest in promoting STEM education
  • Good communicator
  • Preferably a PhD (but not essential)

Quality candidates would not necessarily offer all these capabilities, but it would be helpful to cover as many as possible.  Experience and capability to build industry-public sector partnerships is particularly important given the State¹s priority on building innovative industries.

The current Chief Scientist has a background in biotechnology/health sciences. The SA Government may therefore prefer to recruit the next Chief Scientist from a different sector.  Priorities could be ICT, Energy, Agriculture or Defence – given the significance of these sectors to the State¹s future growth.

If you are potentially interested in finding out more about this opportunity, please contact the current Chief Scientist, Dr Leanna Read on the following:

Email:  chief.scientist@sa.gov.au
Phone:  0409 900 024

Discussions will be undertaken on a confidential basis.

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