Eight academic positions have been advertised at an Australian university but recruiters are only accepting female applicants.

The University of Adelaide has implemented the strict application requirements in a bid to make gender representation in their engineering faculty more equal.

The job descriptions state: 'We will accept applications only from suitably qualified women under section 47 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984.'

Section 47 of the South Australian act relates to allowable exemptions from equal opportunity laws.

The University of Adelaide (pictured) has advertised eight women-only academic positions in The Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences

The job descriptions state: 'We will only accept applications for this role from suitably qualified women, under section 47 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984' (pictured)

The Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences claims to 'celebrate diversity' and has implemented programs to support academic staff and students.

Available positions at the faculty include associate professor, senior lecturer and lecturer roles related to engineering, computer and mathematical science.

Peter Ashman, the faculty's deputy dean for performance and infrastructure, said the faculty - which is made up of 85 per cent male staff members - had always struggled to attract women, ABC reported.

'We really struggle with diversity, therefore we don't perform as well as we could,' he said.

'It's been an issue since I was an undergraduate 30 years ago.'

Mr Ashman said some progress had been made in attracting women to the engineering field but 'it's still woefully inadequate.'

Peter Ashman, the faculty's deputy dean for performance and infrastructure, said the faculty had always struggled to attract women (stock image)

Australian Conservatives South Australian Senate candidate Rikki Lambert said 'political correctness targeting' does not provide the best result for employment as positions should go to the most deserving candidate.

'We're sick of these diversity targets that keep identifying certain features of candidates to put them forward and they get a leapfrog ahead of other people,' Mr Lambert said.

The University of Adelaide was the first university in Australia to allow women to commence a tertiary education. It was the second in the world to open its doors to women.

Victorian universities - Melbourne and Monash - have also advertised women-only academic positions.