Mr McAuley has spent 20 years supporting astronomical research. His roles have ranged from working as the education officer for the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, through to representing Australia on major international projects such as the Giant Magellan Telescope.

As CEO of Astronomy Australia Limited, he is responsible for the management of the astronomy capability supported by National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and delivered by Astronomy Australia Limited.

Mr McAuley has also worked in private industry, including 6 years in computer-aided engineering.

He advocates for those with Parkinson’s disease. He is a member of the Board of Fight Parkinson’s, the leading Parkinson’s advocacy organisation based in Victoria.

Mr McAuley holds a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts (Ancient History), and Bachelor in Science with Honours (Astrophysics). When he completed his Master of Business Administration, he received the Vice Chancellor’s Medal from the University of Notre Dame, Australia.