Project Manager/research Fellow

Founded in 1974, Deakin is a public university in Victoria with 61,000 students across five campuses: Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront, Warrnambool, and the online Campus. We are a progressive and open-minded university, with the highest student satisfaction in Victoria and consistently ranked in the top 1% of the world’s universities. 

The Research Fellow will work within the research program of the Australian Temperament Project (ATP), working closely with the ATP Project Team to oversee ATP study operations.

The ATP is one of Australia’s oldest longitudinal studies of social and emotional development, established in 1983, which has followed a cohort of 2000 participants and their parents, across 40 years (16 waves). In 2023 a pilot survey of the original two generations of the cohort will be conducted, as they approach 70 and 40 years of age respectively. A subset will also be invited to complete an in-person pilot clinical assessment.

The ATP Generation 3 (offspring) study has recruited and assessed more than 1000 offspring born to Generation 2 ATP participants since 2012. Assessments of Generation 3 children and their parents have occurred at multiple waves from pregnancy to the middle years. Data collection currently includes surveys of parents when third generation children are aged four and nine years of age.

This position reports directly to the ATP Senior Project Manager and the ATP Chief Investigator. The position will directly oversee the ATP Project Coordinator and the ATP Life@40/70 Project Manager, and indirectly supervise all research assistants and students involved in the project.

This position is located at the study’s operational headquarters at the Melbourne Children’s Campus, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Work may also be requested to be undertaken at Deakin Burwood.

This is a 12-month fixed-term position at .5-.6 FTE, funded by a Deakin University Investigator Grant until April 2024.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Coordinating the efficient operation of the research project, including the management of all aspects of coordination, recruitment, and data collection for both the overarching ATP and the ATP Generation 3 Study

Overseeing all contact and correspondence with project participants, ensuring the continuation of good relations with project participants and the protection of their well-being

Overseeing ethics submissions, and adherence to ethics agreements

Coordinating applications for cohort data linkage with data agencies/repositories

Coordinating student/investigator access to the data and measures according to the project policies developed

Assisting with funding submissions, management of NHMRC and ARC budgets and annual budget report writing activities

Advising on the future conduct and direction of the Project

Overseeing the efficient operation of large-scale communication strategies with study participants for the purposes of cohort retention and recruitment of children, families, and adult participants into new aspects of the research program

Supervising staff and students assigned to research tasks.

Contributing to the knowledge engagement activities of the department as directed

Liaising with collaborating investigators on the ATP and ATP Generation 3 Studies, both internally and externally

Attending Department meetings and/or committees/working groups such as those relevant to the project at the Melbourne Children’s Campus

Participating in regular staff/professional development activities and performance management.

Key selection criteria for this role:

At minimum, a Bachelor of Arts/Science with Honours or equivalent in a relevant field (preferably within psychology, health or another appropriate field).

A strong understanding of, and interest in, child, adolescent and young adult health and wellbeing.

Interest in life course science, and the developmental origins of mental health and disorder, within and across generations.

Experience in project management/coordination of large-scale longitudinal life course studies, and associated expertise in longitudinal data management

Experience in research administration activities such as human ethics submissions, funding submissions and project budgeting

Experience in the development and production of research participant engagement strategies, activities, and communications

Experience in stakeholder communication and management, across and within sectors

Experience in recruitment, training, supervision and performance management of research assistants and students

Experience with database/survey software such as REDCap etc.

Experience in collecting observational/clinical data

Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate effectively with children and families within a research program context, as well as a proven ability to establish good working relationships with colleagues and students

An ability to manage sensitive matters discreetly and confidentially

Ability to work independently as well as part of a research team, preferably in a multidisciplinary environment.