Casual Research Assistant

PRIMARY DETAIL

THE ROLE

• Salary Package: $57.21 per hour (HEW 5) plus 11% employer’s superannuation

• Appointment Type: Casual

• Location: Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus (North Ryde)

 

The Role

This position is in the School of Psychological Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences.  This position is required to support an ARC Discovery Project. The incumbent must have high level research skills and knowledge (e.g. management of large data sets, advanced quantitative data analysis and conceptual knowledge) as well as the professional and interpersonal skills that are essential for applied research. The on-the-job training that will be part of this appointment is an opportunity to contribute to the future of resilience research in Australia.

About the Project

Emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) is a unique time when young people are facing significant changes and stressors as they transition into adulthood. The COVID-19 pandemic and its on-going effects have only added to these demands. It is important for both individuals and society to understand the factors that affect the ability of young adults to grow capacities that will help them to manage these stressors. What if these diverse stressors could be harnessed to aid the growth of capacities for resilience, specifically emotion regulatory flexibility? We will discover how this transformation takes place, the time course for these changes, and why some young adults excel at it while others struggle. In doing so, we will empower young adults to turn these stressors into catalysts for refining their emotion regulatory flexibility, setting them on a path towards positive outcomes in adulthood.

With Australia's future prosperity riding on the shoulders of its emerging adults, this research is more important than ever. During this key window, emerging adults who can enhance their flexibility in emotion regulation are in a better position to ensure positive trajectories of functioning. We will explore new frontiers in emotion regulation research, share our findings through workshops, online resources, and peer-reviewed papers, and empower the educators, organisations, and communities who shape the lives of young adults with the tools they need to guide them towards a brighter future.

About the Team

We are a thriving team of masters, PhD students, and researchers interested in human resilience. We work with many populations but have a special interest in emerging adults. We are located at Macquarie University within the School of Psychological Sciences. The team lead is A/Professor Monique  Crane who has 12 years experience researching resilience in extreme and high performance workplaces.

Key Accountabilities

• Assist with the conduct of interviews.

• Support the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.

• Management of research records and participant files.

• Use transcription software to transcribe audio files. 

• Supporting the checking of transcription files.

• Support the initial development of coding frameworks for qualitative research in NVIVO.

• Supporting updates on the team website.

• Conducting amendments to ethics protocols.

• Supporting the writing of literature reviews and production of manuscripts for publication.

• Any other duties within the staff member's level of competence as required.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please apply online by submitting your CV and a separate (2-page maximum) cover letter that demonstrates how you meet the following selection criteria:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive literature reviews using academic databases (e.g., PsycINFO, PubMed).

• Experience with qualitative research methods.

• Experience with quantitative research methods and related software (e.g., SPSS, R, MPLUS).

• Competency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and data analysis software (e.g., NVIVO).

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate research findings to both academic and non-academic audiences.

• Ability to solve problems that may arise during the research process.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a research team, as well as independently with minimal supervision.

• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a research team, as well as independently with minimal supervision.

• Understanding of and commitment to ethical research practices and guidelines, including confidentiality and data protection.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualifications or ongoing study in psychology or a related discipline.

• A strong interest in psychology and a keenness to contribute to research in the field.

• Experience in preparing research reports, academic papers, or presentations.

• A specific interest in the psychological resilience or emotional health, evidenced by previous work, study, or projects.

• Awareness of and sensitivity to cultural diversity and its implications for research practices, especially in participant recruitment and engagement.

• Experience in preparing or amending ethics protocols for research projects.

• Experience with quantitative research methods.

 

Do I need to work on site?

The expectation is that you will work mostly on site at the School of Psychological Sciences, but there is flexibility where requested.

 

Proposed Start Date

30 April 2024

 

Enquiries: Monique Crane, Associate Professor, [email protected]

 

Applications Close: Wednesday 17 April 2024 at 11:59PM (AEST)

If you're already part of the Macquarie Group (MQ University, U@MQ, MQ Health, MGSM), you'll need to apply through your employee Workday account. To apply for this job: Login to Workday and go to the Careers App > Find Jobs.

Applications Close:

17/04/2024 11:59 PM

Diversity and Inclusion

Innovation and ingenuity thrive at Macquarie University when diversity, equity and inclusion take centre stage. At the University, we embrace a culture where diversity of background, experience and perspective are fundamental to our success.

We do not discriminate on gender identity, age, culture, disability, sexuality, Indigeneity, family and caring responsibilities or religion. See our journey towards leadership in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education.

Flexible Work
 

At Macquarie, we believe by providing flexibility in when, where and how work is done, we can support our staff to manage their personal commitments, while optimising their work performance and contributions to the University. See how we lead in flexible work to enable an outcome focused and inclusive workplace. To learn more about our culture and hiring process, explore our Candidate Resource Hub .