Aboriginal Research Assistant

About Flinders

Our bold vision, captured in our Strategic Plan: making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda, is to be internationally recognised as a world leader in research, an innovator in contemporary education, and the source of Australia’s most enterprising graduates.

To realise this ambition, we recently made a significant organisation change to a six College structure with a professional staff and services alignment.

We recognise the key to our success is exceptional people and we’re seeking an outstanding individual to join the team of our transformed university.

Employment Type:

Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Position Summary

Availability:
Fixed-Term until (12 months) | Part-Time at 0.6 FTE
Compensation:
Higher Education Officer Level 5
Salary Range:
$72,885 - $80,438 (pro-rata)
Reporting to:
Professor in Public Health
The Aboriginal Research Assistant is required to support a Hospital Research Foundation funded study to culturally adapt an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ‘mums and bubs’ mobile health application. This application was designed, and pilot tested in New South Wales together with Aboriginal community services, staff, and women.
Under broad direction, the incumbent will be required to assist with the recruitment of participants for the project from partner community health services, conduct focus groups and/or interviews to provide feedback on the NSW mobile health application, ensuring it is culturally safe and relevant for the local SA region.
Contributions to the project more broadly will include qualitative data analysis and contributions to write-up and dissemination of the research.
The Aboriginal Research Assistant/s will be supported by the Project Chief Investigator, the Project Manager and the entire investigator team which includes researchers from Flinders University, The University of Newcastle, and Griffith University.

Key Position Responsibilities

The Aboriginal Research Assistant is accountable for:

• Establishing and/or maintaining good relationships with health services staff. 

• Conduct focus groups and interviews with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers, to derive feedback/information to inform the adaptation of the SA mHealth app.

• Coordinating and managing data, in accordance with directions from the research team, and requirements stipulated by the project’s ethics guidelines. 

• Managing and adapting flexibly to logistical arrangements, including responding to late notice change in groups and availability of participants, and troubleshooting.

• Maintain study documentation in compliance with Local Health Network Policies and Procedures and Flinders University standard operating procedures, that operate in Local Health Network sites. 

• Complying with all health and safety policies and procedures of the University, and at community health sites by taking all reasonable care to ensure that any actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of the incumbent or others.

Key Position Capabilities

Key Position Capabilities for the Aboriginal Research Assistant are:

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of local (South Australian) Aboriginal history and cultural beliefs.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting independent research and/or research assistant work.

• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills that facilitate participant recruitment, telephone interviewing/focus groups, and the ability to liaise effectively with internal and external health agencies.  

• Sound knowledge and demonstrated ability to collect data in a health care context.

• Under broad direction, a demonstrated ability to work autonomously, with the ability to adapt to changes and provide advice to stakeholders and participants.

• Demonstrated ability to manage time effectively, achieve targets and meet project deadlines e.g., participant recruitment, focus groups.

• Demonstrated ability to ensure data is managed and stored securely to ensure ethical obligations are met, including confidentially, cultural sensitivity and anonymity.

• Experience working with local health services, particularly in the SALHN and NALHN (desirable).

For more information regarding the position, or to have a confidential discussion, please contact: Professor Billie Bonevski

Prescribed Conditions for Employment
Flinders University has introduced a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires all new staff members to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, subject to medical exemptions and limited exemptions. 

The filling of this position is intended to constitute a special/equal opportunity measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), and s 65 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA). The position is therefore only open to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.

Pursuant to Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 (SA) this position has been deemed prescribed. It is an inherent requirement of the position that the successful candidate maintains a current Working with Children Check which is satisfactory to the University.

A valid National Police Certificate which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

Information for Applicants:

You are required to provide a suitability statement of no more than three pages, addressing the key capabilities of the position as outlined above. In addition, you are required to upload your CV.

A valid National Police Certificate which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

We are seeking to increase the diversity to improve equal opportunity outcomes for employees, and therefore we encourage female applicants, people with a disability and/or from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders descent to apply.

Please note, late applications and applications sent via agencies will not be accepted.

Applications Close 11:59pm:

11 May 2022