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The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney has for the first time launched a recruitment drive to offer academic roles reserved for women, in a bid to address systemic gender inequities in the industry. The positions are open to international and Australian candidates.�� 

The roles are in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, School of Computer Science, and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where currently 12 to 17 percent of continuing academic staff are female.

According to a 2024 report, only 11 percent of engineering students who identify as female qualify and go on to work in an engineering role. The percentage who progresses to senior roles is even lower.�� 

Professor Renae Ryan, Associate Dean of Culture and Community in the Faculty of Engineering, says women have historically been an underrepresented group in Australia’s engineering sector, and this recruitment campaign is one part of a larger commitment to foster the next generation of engineers, from high school through to the workforce.

“To drive change, we need to create it. We’ve identified areas of the faculty where there’s gender imbalance and now we’re determined to shift that,” Professor Ryan said.

“The Faculty of Engineering is committed in the long term to building an environment that fosters the next generation of engineers.

“But increasing diversity is not just about representation – it is also about institutions actively creating opportunities for talent to flourish, develop and grow. In doing so we can build a more inclusive and capable engineering workforce that can address the complex challenges of our nation.

“The impact of increasing visibility and support for women in engineering cannot be understated – by doing so we also create academic role models for students.

“I warmly welcome all interested candidates to apply and be part of our teaching and research community.”

Professor Ryan was the Academic Director of the at the University of Sydney from 2017-2022 and from 2023-2024 was Chair of the SAGE Advisory Council.

In the remaining 3 Schools in Engineering, over 33 percent of continuing academic staff are female (School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering School of Project Management).�� 

Dr Shuying Wu, Senior Lecturer in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering says:

“Role models played a huge role in supporting and shaping my career in engineering. My interest in chemistry and physics was sparked by my parents, and when I entered research, it was nurtured by mentors,” says Dr Wu, who is now creating new, flexible materials that can be used in robotics, healthcare and aerospace industries.

“Having this initiative is invaluable to support the growth of women in research is fantastic because it will create a stronger community of engineers.”

Dr Jacqueline Thomas, senior lecturer and environmental engineer at the School of Civil Engineering said:

"To engage more women in engineering, I think there needs to be a change in the perception of what an engineer does. The traditional view of engineering as a male-dominated field focused on concrete infrastructure is very out of date,”

“A contemporary engineer is in the business of solving real-world complex problems, and my experience has been that a woman's perspective is both needed and valued."

The Faculty of Engineering is dedicated to drive long term gender equity among engineering academics and professionals in the community. Research has shown more diverse perspectives drive innovation – we recognise that representation of women is crucial,” said Professor Hesham El Gamal, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

The Faculty of Engineering as part of its broader strategy to increase staff and student diversity is also supporting the 20-year Khuda Family Foundation STEM Program .��

 The recruitment campaign also supports the faculty’s commitment to recruiting female students into engineering through the Women in Engineering program, including introducing a new female student buddy program and increasing the number of undergraduate scholarships offered to women studying engineering.�� 

The current recruitment round .

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