Research Associate / Post-Doctoral Research Associate / Research Fellow, School of Public Health

Application Deadline: 11 Oct 2026 - 00:00 (UTC)

Country: Australia

Type of Contract: Permanent

Job Status: Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

• Seeking two talented Clinical Prevention Researchers
• Full time position (1.00 FTE), with flexibility to consider part-time arrangements (0.6 FTE - 0.8 FTE) that can support both research needs and personal commitments
• Base Salary Research Associate Level A $93,424 - $113,634, Post-Doctoral Research Associate Level A $117,936 - $125,896 and Base salary Research Fellow Level B $132,533 - $157,381 (pro rata for FTE) + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

The Prevention Research Collaboration (PRC) comprises researchers with expertise in prevention and health promotion, particularly in the areas of obesity and diabetes prevention, tobacco prevention, and promotion of physical activity and social health. This expertise covers program evaluation, implementation research and scale up, epidemiology and biostatistics and measurement related to primary and secondary prevention. The PRC has Funding Agreements with the NSW Ministry of Health, research funding from NHMRC, and research contracts from non-government agencies.

The PRC is currently seeking two clinical prevention researchers interested in working in chronic disease prevention and health services research, specifically to work on embedding a population health and clinical preventive care approach to diabetes/obesity prevention and management in health service delivery. The Clinical Prevention Researcher will largely be involved in multiple projects funded by the NSW Ministry of Health Prevention Research Support Program (PRSP) Round 7 (2026-2030).

Working with a multidisciplinary team of public health researchers and clinicians, the role will support high-quality clinical and health systems research under the supervision of the PRSP investigators (The PRECI Consortium) and liaise with the Ministry of Health, LHDs, health care providers, and ethics committees as necessary. This position requires a deep understanding of NSW health service delivery, public health principles and chronic disease prevention and health promotion methods, but also a passion for research, community engagement, and collaborative problem-solving. Experience in, and a thorough understanding of, government and policy processes would be advantageous.

This role requires flexibility and a strong campus-based presence. You may be required to travel across the wider region for research purposes.

Your key responsibilities will be:

For Level A and Level B

• design, coordinate and deliver clinical prevention and health services research projects focused on obesity, diabetes prevention and chronic disease management across NSW health settings
• contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based population health and clinical preventive care initiatives within health service delivery
• undertake high-quality research activities including study design, ethics submissions, data collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of findings
• collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of researchers, clinicians and health service stakeholders to support successful project delivery
• liaise with the NSW Ministry of Health, Local Health Districts (LHDs), healthcare providers and ethics committees to facilitate research implementation and stakeholder engagement
• contribute to implementation research, program evaluation and health systems research aimed at improving preventive care and health outcomes
• prepare research reports, scientific publications, presentations, briefing papers and funding-related documentation
• support the translation of research findings into policy and practice to strengthen chronic disease prevention and health promotion strategies
• develop and refine independent research capability while contributing to the objectives of the Prevention Research Support Program (PRSP) and PRECI Consortium
• manage multiple projects and competing priorities while ensuring timelines, quality standards and project objectives are achieved
• undertake travel across metropolitan and regional locations as required to support research activities and stakeholder engagement
• contribute to additional research and operational projects consistent with the classification level and strategic priorities of the Prevention Research Collaboration

In addition for Level B

• conduct original research independently and collaboratively, developing publications and conference presentations and maintain an active research profile through the publication of peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations and other scholarly outputs
• contribute to research funding applications, grant proposals and impact activities
• build and maintain collaborative relationships with researchers, clinicians and stakeholder groups
• provide mentorship and research guidance to students and junior team members as appropriate

About you

Level A and Level B

• a postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline such as Public Health, Nursing, Allied Health, Clinical Epidemiology, Dietetics or a related field
• specialised knowledge of obesity prevention, diabetes prevention and chronic disease prevention strategies across clinical and population health settings
• demonstrated experience designing, coordinating and delivering clinical, population health or health services research projects
• strong skills in research methodology, study design, program evaluation, implementation research and evidence synthesis
• proven capability in quantitative data analysis, including the use of statistical software such as SAS, STATA, SPSS or equivalent, and research management platforms such as REDCap
• sound knowledge of the Australian health system, including national, state and local health service delivery, health policy and chronic disease prevention initiatives
• experience working in allied health, nursing, medical or community health settings and engaging with diverse patient and community populations
• demonstrated understanding of epidemiological methods, population health data and the social determinants of health
• experience translating evidence into policy and practice and providing high-quality, evidence-based advice on complex public health or clinical issues
• strong planning, organisation and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes within agreed timeframes
• experience supervising, mentoring or supporting students, junior researchers or other team members, where appropriate

In addition for Level B

• a completed PhD or doctoral qualification in public health, epidemiology, health services research, clinical research or a related discipline
• an emerging track record of independent research achievement, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and scholarly outputs
• experience contributing to or securing competitive research funding, grants or commissioned research projects
• a growing network of academic, government, health service and industry collaborators that supports research translation and impact

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all roles required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role please contact Blythe O'Hara by email at blythe.ohara@sydney.edu.au

If you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Cecilia Blamey, Recruitment Operations by email to cecilia.blamey@sydney.edu.au.

The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Sunday 11 October 2026 11:59 PM