"Research Associate/Research Fellow - Sydney Quality of Life team"

About the opportunity

The University of Sydney Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery is proud to be ranked #1 in Australia and #20 globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. As a leader in nursing research and education, we are committed to nurturing global citizens in health and wellbeing through culturally safe and person-centred care.

We are seeking an early career researcher (academic Level A or Level B) to join the Sydney Quality of Life team, led by Associate Professor Claudia Rutherford. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to impactful research that enhances the quality of life for patients, families, and carers. The team's work spans clinical, methodological, and implementation research, and is deeply embedded in education, resource development, supportive care, and collaboration with health professionals and the community.

You will be part of a vibrant academic environment that integrates teaching, research, and policy development, and benefits from the expertise of staff actively engaged in frontline healthcare services across Australia and internationally.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• collaborate with the Chief Investigator to develop research project plans and assist in development of research objectives and grants
• provide deep technical knowledge and project management support to the Chief Investigator and collaborate with academic and research professionals to support the group research
• actively lead and contribute to research activities, literature reviews, designing research protocols, undertaking critical aspects of research work including formation of analysis and key findings
• ensure accurate collation of research data, draw insights and analyse, report information from the research undertaken
• facilitate effective communication and good working relationships amongst key stakeholder groups, project investigators and site staff, and team members

About you

Level A

• PhD (or near completion) in a health-related field
• experience/background in applied chronic disease or health services research; cancer supportive care research would be highly desirable
• competency in mixed-method research is desirable
• demonstrated experience working across multidisciplinary teams and ability to build effective relations with colleagues and partners
• scientific writing experience, able to facilitate, review and write for journals and grant applications
• excellent time and workload management skills with demonstrated ability to prioritise effectively, manage multiple tasks to meet deadlines and achieve required outcomes
• competency with Statistical Software STATA and/or R Studio or similar is desirable
• PhD student or part time PhD students close to submission of PhD are encouraged to apply.

In addition for Level B

• PhD in a health-related field
• 2 years of experience in research either through studies or as a research assistant/associate in a health- related research entity
• experience with ethics applications and grant submissions
• experience supervising post graduate students
• experience in conducting original research and/or engaging in scholarly activity
• experience leading research projects (e.g. systematic reviews, qualitative studies, observational studies).

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 role 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 addressing how you meet each criteria), 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, or 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.