Swinburne University Human Research Ethics Committee (SUHREC) Membership

Expressions of interest are sought for voluntary membership of the Swinburne University Human Research Ethics Committee (SUHREC) in the following categories:

• Lawyer
• Professional care
• Pastoral/spiritual care

Swinburne is a global university of technology and design, focused on creating solutions that transform the future for the benefit of people and their environments.

The Swinburne University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is responsible for the ethical review and approval of Swinburne staff and student research involving human participants. The committee reviews a wide range of research projects to ensure that they are conducted in accordance with the highest ethical standards. The HREC is required to maintain a mixture of members with a variety of expertise and knowledge and is currently seeking expressions of interest from people interested in joining the committee in the capacity of a lawyer, professional care person or pastoral/spiritual care person.

A professional care member is a person with knowledge of, and current experience in, the professional care or treatment of people; for example, a nurse, counsellor or allied health professional (National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, 2025, section 5.1.30[c]). The committee is particularly interested in a person who has knowledge of and experience with clinical trials.

A pastoral/spiritual care member is a person who performs a pastoral care role in a community including, but not limited to, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander elder or community leader, a chaplain or a minister of religion or other religious leader (National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, 2025, section 5.1.30[d]).

A lawyer member is a qualified lawyer, who may or may not be currently practising and, where possible, is not engaged to advise the institution on research-related or any other matters (National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, 2025, section 5.1.30[e]).

Lawyer members, pastoral/spiritual care members and professional care members provide a valuable perspective on applications being considered by the committee. Membership involves reading and assessing applications, making recommendations regarding approval, attending on-line meetings and participating in discussions. Members of this committee make a significant contribution to the research life of the university.

The Swinburne HREC meets monthly via Teams on Friday mornings and uses an on-line ethics review system (ERM – Ethics Review Manager). External members receive an honorarium for each meeting they attend.

To submit an expression of interest please complete the attached application form and include a brief CV and cover letter outlining your interest in the role and any relevant skills or attributes.

Expressions of interest close 30 April 2026 and short-listed applicants will be invited to attend an online interview for a position on SUHREC.

If you have any queries about the position(s) or would like further information please contact Dr Astrid Nordmann, Senior Research Ethics Coordinator, Ph: (03) 9214 3845 or Email: anordmann@swin.edu.au.

SUHREC Membership Form Opens in new window