Research Leadership & Project Governance Titles

As an independent private research accelerator, NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute establishes internal project-governance roles tailored for execution-driven discovery. These designations define responsibility, review authority, quality control, and public representation within NanoTRIZ projects.
They reflect actual project responsibility, rather than external university rank. This clearly distinguishes NanoTRIZ project roles from accredited academic appointments, university faculty titles, or traditional employment classifications.

NanoTRIZ engages experienced scientists — ranging from early-career postdoctoral researchers to senior academics, industry experts, and independent specialists — to provide project-based scientific leadership within a distributed R&D environment. NanoTRIZ leadership titles are used to:
 

• establish clear accountability for research quality and deliverables,

• define review, approval, and sign-off authority,

• support accurate and verifiable public representation of each person’s role,

• prevent confusion with university faculty appointments, accredited supervision, or employment status.

1) The Digital Lab Mentorship Model
NanoTRIZ projects operate through a layered, structured mentorship model:
Principal Investigator (PI): defines the broad scientific direction, provides high-level oversight, and holds final scientific sign-off authority where appointed.
Scientific Lead / Project Lead: coordinates workflow, enforces methodological execution, and manages regular team interaction.
Research Affiliates & Junior Scholars: carry out defined research tasks, develop research meta-skills, and contribute to verifiable project outputs under guided supervision.

Note: The exact structure may vary depending on project scope, team size, and technical complexity.

2) Title Assignment: Function Over Rank
NanoTRIZ assigns project leadership titles based primarily on role scope, execution capacity, and governance responsibility within a specific project — not automatically by external academic rank. Relevant factors may include:
 

• scientific ownership and decision authority,

• responsibility for methodology approval and validation,

• acceptance criteria for deliverables and final sign-off,

• leadership intensity, including time commitment, team oversight, and quality control.

An individual’s external background — such as postdoctoral experience, professorial rank, or senior industry expertise — may be considered as a practical indicator of capability and likely autonomy, but it does not automatically determine title assignment.

Typical guidance (non-binding)

• Senior academics, established independent researchers, and comparable experts may be appointed as Project Principal Investigators where they assume final scientific responsibility for a defined project stream.

• Strong postdoctoral-level researchers, experienced practitioners, and technically capable specialists may be appointed as Scientific Leads where they manage day-to-day scientific execution and enforce methodological standards.

• Highly experienced independent experts may be appointed as Senior Scholars (Affiliate) where they provide strategic critique, peer review, and high-level advisory input without managing daily workflow.

• Depending on project scope, autonomy, and demonstrated performance, an individual may also be appointed as Co-PI, Scientific Lead, or Project Lead.

Important note: NanoTRIZ assigns titles based on demonstrated capability, project needs, and governance requirements. Titles are not granted solely on the basis of external academic rank, job title, or institutional affiliation.

3) Role Definitions (Function-Based Titles)
These titles are internal project-governance designations. They are not university ranks and do not imply employment, faculty status, accredited supervision, or academic tenure.

Principal Investigator (PI) / Project Principal Investigator
A Project Principal Investigator is appointed to assume ultimate scientific responsibility for a defined NanoTRIZ project stream. The PI typically:
 

• sets scientific direction and defines project scope and objectives,

• approves, or delegates approval of, methodology and validation plans,

• defines quality standards and acceptance criteria for major deliverables,

• provides final scientific sign-off on major outputs such as reports, white papers, manuscripts, frameworks, or structured research deliverables,

• ensures that project work meets NanoTRIZ standards for scientific quality, rigor, and integrity.

The PI role is a governance designation intended to create clear accountability for scientific integrity and deliverable quality within NanoTRIZ.

Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
A Co-PI shares PI-level responsibility for a project stream, or leads a substantial sub-stream under PI governance. A Co-PI may:
 

• co-approve methodology and validation plans where defined in the project structure,

• co-sign deliverables where explicitly authorised,

• take responsibility for a work package, sub-stream, or defined technical area,

• support continuity of leadership, peer review, and quality assurance.

The authority of a Co-PI must be defined for each project, including scope, approval boundaries, and sign-off responsibilities.

Scientific Lead
A Scientific Lead is the operational scientific driver of a project. A Scientific Lead typically:

• coordinates day-to-day experiments, analyses, and technical documentation,

• enforces technical standards, reproducibility discipline, and methodological consistency,

• mentors junior contributors on methods, workflows, and quality expectations,

• reviews intermediate outputs against methodological requirements,

• usually reports to the PI or Co-PI for final scientific approval, unless direct sign-off authority is assigned in the project plan.

Project Lead
A Project Lead is primarily responsible for delivery coordination and operational execution. A Project Lead typically:

• manages milestones, timelines, task allocation, and integration of contributions,

• supports documentation discipline, version control, reporting, and output structure,

• coordinates meetings, progress tracking, and delivery readiness,

• ensures deliverables are packaged and completed in an organised and timely manner.

Note: Depending on project design, the Project Lead may or may not hold primary scientific authority. Final scientific sign-off usually remains with the PI and/or Scientific Lead.

Senior Scholar (Affiliate)
A Senior Scholar (Affiliate) is a senior advisory designation for highly experienced researchers who provide:
 

• high-level critique and peer review,

• strategic guidance on research direction and feasibility,

• independent review of methodology, interpretation, and scientific claims,

• advisory input on standards, framing, and scientific positioning.

Senior Scholars generally do not manage daily workflows unless they are separately appointed to an active PI, Co-PI, Scientific Lead, or Project Lead role within a specific project.

4) Regulatory and Status Notice
Independent Contractor / Consultant Engagement

Where payment or revenue share is provided, research leadership or advisory services are delivered under a separate written Independent Contractor Agreement, Consultancy Agreement, or equivalent services agreement.

These are not employment appointments and do not include employee entitlements such as leave, superannuation, or employment benefits unless expressly stated in a separate written contract.

The existence of a NanoTRIZ project title does not by itself create employment, partnership, equity, or ownership rights.
NanoTRIZ may also appoint honorary or unpaid advisors, contributors, or research leaders where appropriate. Payment status is separate from title designation and is governed only by the applicable written agreement, if any.

Non-Accredited Supervision
NanoTRIZ is not a TEQSA-registered higher education provider. Its roles involve professional research leadership, project governance, structured mentorship, and scientific oversight within a private research environment.

These roles do not constitute accredited higher-degree supervision, including PhD supervision on behalf of NanoTRIZ, and they do not imply enrolment, academic credit, degree authority, or university status.

5) Recommended Public Listing (CV / LinkedIn)
To protect both the individual and the Institute, NanoTRIZ roles should be presented in a way that clearly distinguishes internal NanoTRIZ designations from any primary university, employer, or institutional appointment. Approved formats may include:
 

• External Principal Investigator (Project-Based, Consultant), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Australia)

• Project Principal Investigator (Independent Consultant), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Australia)

• Scientific Lead (Project-Based), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Australia)

• Project Lead (Project-Based), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Australia)

• Senior Scholar (Affiliate), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Australia)

If the individual has a primary employer, university appointment, or institutional affiliation, that role should normally remain primary, with NanoTRIZ listed as a secondary, project-based, or affiliate appointment where appropriate.