Program Description:

Title: The Forrest Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025

Application deadline: 31st May 2025

Overview: Forrest postdoctoral fellows are more than just intellectually brilliant. They are adventurous, curious, open to ideas from anywhere. They embrace unusual approaches to problem-solving and take risks that others may not. They enjoy breaking with convention – the path less traveled is appealing because new frontiers offer new opportunities for discovery. They are intellectually generous and take time to understand and challenge ideas, collaborating to improve outcomes for the community and the world. 

Forrest Fellowships are offered to early-stage postdoctoral researchers who have outstanding academic profiles and who have already made significant personal research contributions within and beyond their discipline. Forrest Fellows will have been among the top performing students in their undergraduate and graduate cohorts. They will already have gained high-level research experience through studying and researching in several different institutions, and their innovative doctoral research will be recognised well beyond their current institutional home. Forrest Fellows will wish to extend their postdoctoral research well beyond the focus of their doctoral dissertation and will aim to do so in a way that builds intellectual bridges within and between disciplines. Forrest Fellows are also committed to communicating their research to others, to have a positive impact on the world around us.

The Forrest Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 Benefits

The Forrest Research Foundation will provide funding for:

• Salary
  • Salary consistent with a Level A Step 8 appointment (for example The University of Western Australia Salary Scales approximately $99,905 in salary plus 17% superannuation)
• Accommodation Allowance
  • An accommodation allowance of $24,128 per annum in 2024 (subject to marginal tax rate)
• Research and travel allowance
  • A once-off research and travel allowance of up to $12,000. This allowance is available for approved research-related expenses, overseas research, and conference travel. 
• Relocation allowance
  • All interstate and international Fellows can apply for a relocation allowance, including economy airfare to Perth, which can be discussed with the Director if successful.

The Forrest Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 Fellowship Guidelines

1. Title: Forrest Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships. Awardees will be known as “Forrest Fellows”.

2. Governed by: The constitution of the Forrest Research Foundation of The University of Western Australia (see https://www.uwa.edu.au/about-us/leadership-and-governance/governance/senate/senate-committees/the-forrest-research-foundation-at-the-university-of-western-australia) and the relevant employment policies of the employing university.

3. Purpose: To attract and assist outstanding early career researchers to undertake high-quality post-doctoral research at one of the following Western Australian universities:
– Curtin University
– Edith Cowan University
– Murdoch University
– The University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle Campus)
– The University of Western Australia

4. Value: (1) The Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship package comprises:

a) A contribution of the salary (and on-costs) to the employing university including;
– Level A Step 8 in Years 1, 2, and 3 – based on the University of Western Australia salary scales in 2024, this isa  Fellow Salary of approximately $108,362, plus superannuation of 17%.
– Salary on-costs will be provided by the Forrest Research Foundation to the employing university.
– A one-off research and travel allowance of up to $12,000. The research and travel allowance is available for approved research-related expenses, overseas research, and conference travel (this will be administered by the employing university).
– A one-off relocation allowance of up to $10,000, including economy airfares to Perth.

b) An accommodation supplement to assist with living expenses of residing within Forrest Hall set at $24,128 per annum in 2024 (note this is subject to a marginal tax rate).
c) A proportion of the Forrest Fellows employment contract will be for the general mission of the Foundation. This is an additional stipulation of one day per week (0.2FTE) in the employment contract between the Forrest Fellow and the employing university, including mentoring of Forrest Scholars and ambassadorial duties.

(2) If the employing university wishes to employ Forrest Fellows at a higher level or salary, the employer is responsible for funding the shortfall.

5. Method of payment:

• – The Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship salary will be paid through the employing university’s payroll system, in conjunction with the relevant employment policies.
• – The accommodation supplement will be provided by the Forrest Research Foundation to the employing university (for distribution to the Forrest Fellow), for payment towards living expenses and contribution to accommodation costs at Forrest Hall. The relocation and research travel allowance will be administered by the employing university and available to the awardee upon application.

6. Duration of Fellowship: The duration of the Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship is up to three years on a full-time basis but is conditional on meeting satisfactory progress.

Exemptions to full-time may be considered by the Forrest Research Foundation Governors for reasons such as parental leave and is subject to the employment conditions between the Forrest Fellow and the employing university and relevant leave policies.

7. Eligibility requirements: (1) To be eligible to apply for a Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship, an applicant must:
a) have had their PhD conferred on or after 1 January 2022, or will have successfully completed all the requirements for the award of their PhD by 31 December 2024.
b) be intending to reside at Forrest Hall for the duration of the Fellowship (exemptions may be considered by the Governors of the Forrest Research Foundation).

To be eligible to take up a Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship, an awardee must:
a) have been offered and accepted an employment contract at a Western Australian university. The Forrest Foundation will liaise with the nominated university to issue the employment contract to successful fellowship applicants.
b) have received their PhD conferral before taking up their appointment.
c) take up the Forrest Fellowship and commence employment at the relevant university within 12 months of being awarded the Fellowship.
d) agree to report their progress to the Forrest Research Foundation Director and the Minderoo Foundation each year.

8. Application procedure:
(1) Applications are called for by the Forrest Research Foundation and must be submitted by the advertised closing date.
(2) Applications must include the following documentation in order to be considered–

a) a completed online application form submitted through the Forrest Research Foundation website;
b) A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages).
c) Publications list.
d) Grants and awards list.
e) Contact details for three referees (one personal (optional) and at least two academics).
f) Photograph.

9. Selection criteria: Applications will be assessed by the Forrest Research Foundation Selection Committee on the basis of each applicant’s:
a)  outstanding academic achievements.
b)  exceptional ability, resourcefulness and originality.
c) potential to make a positive difference to the world.
d) their ability and commitment to mentoring and leadership within the Forrest Research Foundation Community (including Forrest Scholars and at Forrest Hall).
e) a demonstration of how the award would help build world-class innovation and research capacity in Western Australia.

10. Selection process: The selection of applicants will be undertaken by the Selection Committee of the Forrest Research Foundation having regard to applicants’ academic records, completed application and supporting documentation.

The applicant’s nominated university is responsible for providing a short statement on the research environment that Forrest Fellows will be a part of (facilities, mentoring, equipment etc.) as well as a commitment to any additional resources (e.g. recommended salary level, start-up grants etc.). The applicant’s nominated university will also need to detail how the employing university will develop and mentor the Forrest Fellow, either on to a subsequent research fellowship or into teaching activities.

The Selection Committee will interview shortlisted applicants. Shortlisted applicants may be required to conduct a presentation on research at the nominated university in conjunction with the selection process.

The Forrest Research Foundation Selection Committee will refer Fellows to the Forrest Research Foundation Board of Governors for endorsement.

11. Residency: Fellowship awardees are expected to reside at Forrest Hall. Exemptions may be considered by the Forrest Research Foundation Governors (for example in the instance of Forrest Fellows having a young family or conducting the majority of the research outside of the Perth metro area).

The Foundation will recoup a rental payment for residency at Forrest Hall.

12. Publications: Any thesis, dissertation or other publication resulting from research undertaken by the recipient while in receipt of the Forrest Research Foundation Fellowship must acknowledge the support of the Fellowship, Forrest Research Foundation and carry the employing university’s by-line.

Any variation from these guidelines will require approval by the Director of the Forrest Research Foundation.

13. File number: n/a

14. Donor: Andrew and Nicola Forrest

15. Selection committee: The Forrest Research Foundation Selection Committee

16. Administered by: The Forrest Research Foundation and the employing university

17. Year fellowship(s) first offered: 2018

18. Period of funding: The fellowship fund is held in perpetuity.

19. Date established: 2014

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