The Australian Women's Register

Marion Ward lectured at Auckland University in 1960 before going to England and lecturing at the University of Reading until 1967. On 10 October 1967 Marion was appointed Senior Research Fellow, New Guinea Research Unit, Research School of Pacific Studies at the Australian National University. She was promoted to Field Director (Senior Research Fellow) from May 1970 to February 1972. She was also an editor of the New Guinea Research Bulletin.

Between 1973 and 2002 Marion worked on or led 80 missions to developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, working at the community, regional and national levels to resolve transport, communication, water supply and sanitation issues. She has published extensively and worked as a consultant since the early 1970s.