Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Fixed term (3 year), full time position.

Based in Hobart.

Work collaboratively to deliver responsive, high quality and high impact research addressing community-identified issues of social disadvantage and exclusion in Tasmania.

The School of Social Sciences, which sits within the College of Arts, Law and Education, is a multi-campus school specialising in Sociology, Criminology, Social Work, Politics and Policy, International Relations, Tourism, Police Studies and Emergency Management. Students study with us across campuses in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie in Tasmania, at the Victorian Police Academy in Melbourne, and in Rozelle and Darlinghurst in New South Wales.

The Opportunity

As our new Postdoctoral Research Fellow you will contribute to growing the social value and impact of the School of Social Sciences, bringing theoretical, methodological, policy and practice knowledge of complex social problems and their relevant policy settings. You will have an emerging understanding of the workings of government and community-sector and advocacy organisations and services and be skilled in community and stakeholder engagement. 

A central focus of the role will be management of the UTAS Rough Sleepers Initiative which will bring multi-disciplinary research expertise from across UTAS to a community partnership. The Postdoctoral Fellow will develop and engage in a suite of research projects which support the knowledge-needs of community partners and progress evidence and debate about what will work in Tasmania to both prevent, and improve responses to, rough sleeping in Tasmania.

More broadly, as the Postdoctoral Fellow you will be involved in shaping and trialling innovative ways of delivering research impact which is responsive to the needs of Tasmanians experiencing increased vulnerability.

While this is a research-focussed position, you will contribute to undergraduate and teaching programs within the School as appropriate, and to the collegial and scholarly life of the School, the College and the University. 

Key Accountabilities:

Make an effective and sustained contribution to the University in achieving its strategic objectives and fulfilling its operational responsibilities.

Work collaboratively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders to effect research impact for the benefit of Tasmanians experiencing personal and systemic vulnerability and social exclusion.

With supervision, work independently on the project design, management and delivery of UTAS priority projects, including impact planning, grant and ethics applications, research governance including risk management, research protocol development, data collection and analysis, research publications, internal/external stakeholder management and project communications.

Undertake high-quality research of national and increasingly of international standing, secure external competitive and other funding and publish research findings in order to meet and regularly exceed the University’s research performance expectations for Level B.

Contribute to teaching and learning activities at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as appropriate and in line with research expertise

Your Application

To be successful in the role, your application will need to demonstrate:

A PhD in Social Sciences or closely related field, conferred within the last five years.

A demonstrated record of, and continuing commitment to, Social Sciences research that has achieved national recognition and made impactful contributions to social problems and social policy research, demonstrated by a record of quality publications, presentations at conferences and preferably success in securing external competitive and other funding.

Outstanding written and oral communication skills, including capacity to translate research for policy, practice, and public settings.

Qualitative research experience including trauma-informed research practice with vulnerable or hard to reach populations and experience/interest in new/experimental qualitative research methodologies.

Project design and management experience including research impact and communication planning, supporting project leads, and contributing to positive research team culture.

Fieldwork management experience including successfully obtaining ethics, research governance and risk management approvals from NHMRC registered ethics committees, Universities and government agencies.

Stakeholder management experience, including implementing co-design and lived experience participation.

Clinical/industry/professional/lived experience relevant to the position.

A record of appropriate university-level teaching, or a demonstrated capacity to develop teaching. 

Remuneration

Appointment to this role will be at Academic Level B and will have a total remuneration package of up to $142,799 comprising base salary within the range of $105,131 to $122,050 plus 17% superannuation.

COVID-19 Update:

The University of Tasmania recognises that this is critical for the workforce at the University to protect the safety of our workforce and vulnerable Tasmanians.

Applicants for this role must be prepared to provide evidence of Covid-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.