Rubinsztein-Dunlop was appointed Professor of physics in 2000. She became Head of the University of Queensland Department of Physics, and later School of Mathematics and Physics from 2006-2013. She is Director of Quantum Science Laboratory and Manager of one of the scientific programs of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems. She initiated experimental programs in laser micromanipulation and atom optics at the University of Queensland. Her team was successful in demonstrating dynamical tunnelling in the Bose Einstein Condensate (BEC) Laboratory in a modulated standing wave. Rubinzstein-Dunlop's team has observed dynamical tunnelling in quantum chaotic systems.