Research Assistant (Animal Welfare)

Job no: 0061907
Location: Parkville
Role type: Full-time for 3 months or Part-time (0,5) for 6 months. 
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Department/School: Melbourne Veterinary School, Animal Welfare Science Centre
Salary: UOM 5 – $79,961 to $91,844 p.a. (pro rata for part-time) plus 17% super

• Assist Research Fellows in pig welfare data collection.
• Opportunity for hands-on involvement in groundbreaking animal welfare research.
• Salary packaging, subsidised health and wellbeing services, fitness and cultural clubs, Myki discounts, and a 25% discount on graduate courses to our staff and their immediate families!

About the Role
Joining the dynamic team at the Animal Welfare Science Centre within the Melbourne Veterinary School, this role provides a chance to be at the forefront of improving animal welfare through innovative research and collaboration with world-leading experts.

You will have an exciting opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on farm animal welfare. Responsibilities include conducting observations of pig behavior from video footage and providing technical support for research projects, including potential travel to regional Victoria.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Transcribe pig behaviour from video footage, conduct high-quality data collection and contribute to the reporting required to meet project milestones and reporting schedules.
• Contribute towards the research effort of the team and develop your research expertise with an increasing degree of autonomy.
• Assist with fieldwork for other projects within the research group as required.  This may include collection of data on farms or assistance with data analysis.
• Undertake independent travel to research locations within Victoria to conduct fieldwork.
• Report research results and discuss future experiments with the project leaders.
• Assistance with preparation of reports and/or manuscripts for publication.

Who We Are Looking For
You will possess a strong interest in animal welfare and behaviour, particularly for farm animals, demonstrating initiative, the capacity to work autonomously, and eagerness to acquire new skills. Efficiency in handling routine tasks is essential, ideally complemented by prior experience in animal welfare.

You will also have:

• BSc or a tertiary qualification in Agriculture or Animal Science, or a related field.
• Highly demonstrated computer skills and the ability to independently learn how to use new software and data management systems.
• Strong skills in critical thinking with the ability to analyze and identify problems and develop solutions.

For further information regarding responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the attached PD.

This role requires that the successful candidate must undergo and maintain an up-to-date Working with Children Check. This is essential to guarantee a secure environment for all individuals at the University. In the case the selected candidate doesn't have a valid Working with Children Check, they will be able to apply for the WWCC as part of the initial onboarding procedures.

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. This role requires current valid work rights for Australia.

Your New Team – “The Animal Welfare Science Centre“
The Animal Welfare Science Centre is a research centre within The Melbourne Veterinary School at the University of Melbourne. The Animal Welfare Science Centre is focussed on research, development, extension and training to improve animal welfare across different animal use settings. The Centre’s research and teaching capacity is considerable with scientific expertise and experience in the key disciplines of animal behaviour, psychology, stress physiology and veterinary medicine.

What We Offer You!
In addition, we offer the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community and enjoy a range of benefits, including generous leave provisions, salary packaging, health and well-being services and discounts on graduate courses. For more information, check out our benefits  page!

About the University of Melbourne
We’re tightly connected with the community, both at home and abroad. We take pride in our people, who all contribute to our mission to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. Discover more via our website  and stay connected with our stories and people on LinkedIn .   

Be Yourself
The University of Melbourne values the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and welcomes and celebrates diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, parents, carers, people of all ages, abilities and genders, and people of diverse ethnicity, nationality and faith are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live. For more information please visit our Diversity and Inclusion  page.

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require reasonable adjustments, please contact Kim Groizard at [email protected] , with an email containing your name and contact details for a confidential discussion. Please ensure your email is titled "Reasonable Adjustments Request".

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants
We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians, with unprecedented investment to attract, nurture and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff. Tangible support through a range of programs and initiatives will ensure that you personally succeed and flourish while at the University of Melbourne.

For further information, including our 2023-2027 Indigenous strategy please visit -https://about.unimelb.edu.au/reconciliation/murmuk-djerring

Join Us!
If you feel this role is right for you, please apply with the following documents: 

• Resume
• Cover Letter outlining your interest and experience in animal welfare (particularly for farm animals). 

Please note that you are not required to respond to the selection criteria in the Position Description.

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria

If you have any questions regarding the recruitment process, please feel free to contact Anna Gradoboeva via email at [email protected] , ensuring that you include the Position Number and the Job Title as the subject. Please do not share your application to this email address.

If you have any particular questions regarding the job please follow the details listed on the Position Description.

Position Description