Trials Project Lead

The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), based at Curtin University has an exciting opportunity for a

to join our Trials and Evaluation team. The candidate will primarily be responsible for designing, facilitating, and supporting the implementation of trials (e.g., randomised controlled trials), scaling up and adopting successful trials or evaluating existing student equity initiatives.

In this position, you’ll work under the supervision of the Director of the Trials and Evaluation Program, partnering with the Data team within the NCSEHE. The successful applicant will collaborate closely with university leaders, researchers, trial experts, student equity practitioners, and students.

Having worked in academia, research institutes, think tanks, or policy labs, you will bring expertise in randomised controlled trials, or quasi experimental methods, strong project management skills, and the ability to translate research into actionable insights.

• Develop, oversee and refine the design of trials relating to student equity within and across universities in Australia.
• Collaborate with equity practitioners and trials experts to execute the trials, including ethics approvals, participant recruitment, randomisation processes, and coordination of data collection activities.
• Conduct statistical analyses of trials' results and provide guidance on appropriate statistical methods and tools to assess the impact of equity-focused interventions.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks associated with trials, proactively addressing any issues that may arise during the process.
• Develop and manage project timelines, budgets and resources to ensure trials adhere to established deadlines and resource allocations, making adjustments as required.
• Continuously improve trials’ processes and incorporate feedback from equity practitioners to enhance the effectiveness of trials.
• Collaborate with universities, equity practitioners, the Department of Education (Commonwealth), and stakeholders to harness expertise, resources and support for trials in student equity.
• Document all trials’ activities, protocols, and findings on a web-based trials registry for transparency, reproducibility, and future reference.
• Prepare reports of trials and communicate findings to equity practitioners, stakeholders, and the community, highlighting their relevance for student equity research, practices, and policies.

• Experience in successfully leading and completing complex research projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and conducting controlled trials or similar research methodologies in real world settings.
• Demonstrated capability to conduct rigorous statistical analyses of trials' results.
• Demonstrated high level communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to foster the development of a collegial and supportive working environment and the ability to interact with students and staff across universities.
• Strong attention to detail and a track record of maintaining thorough documentation of research activities and findings.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare comprehensive reports of trials’ findings and communicate to a diverse audience, emphasising their relevance for student equity research, practices, and policies.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills and be able to oversee multiple project plans at the same time.
• Ability to work autonomously on projects and as part of a small, high-performance project team.

• Previous experience in student equity in the higher education context
• Understanding of the unique challenges and considerations related to student equity trials and evaluation in higher education.

We are open to receiving applications from outside of Western Australia as remote working opportunities are considered for the right applicant. This role is based in Australia and will require travelling cross-country to conduct and support Australian universities in implementing trials and evaluation. If you are passionate about student equity, have the ability to drive meaningful change, we invite you to embark on this journey with us!

• Current work rights in Australia that match the tenure of this role.
• Criminal record check in accordance with the University’s National Police Certificate Assessment procedures.
• Interstate travel in Australia is required.
• Ability to work outside of normal office hours when required.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Lien Pham, Associate Professor, at [email protected]

About us
The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), based at Curtin University, is a peak centre for providing leadership and facilitating research in student equity across the Australian higher education sector. NCSEHE's initiatives aim to connect research, policy, and practice to increase the successful participation of disadvantaged and marginalised groups in higher education.
We are an energetic, dedicated team of academics and professionals working together to provide global solutions through quality graduates and innovative research. Curtin is a welcoming space where integrity, respect for one another, courage, excellence, and impact are essential to everyday life. Situated on Whadjuk Nyungar Country, our vibrant campus includes an art gallery, gym, childcare and medical centre, and endless food options including a supermarket.
We encourage a progressive and diverse workplace, offering generous superannuation and salary packaging benefits. We are committed to looking after our employees by promoting health and wellbeing, work flexibility, and personal development opportunities.

For more information about our university, please visit www.curtin.edu.au

Join us!

Please provide a cover letter addressing the selection criteria (as outlined in the Position Description), and your CV to allow us to assess your suitability for this role.
To view a copy of the Position Description, please copy and paste the following link into your web browser.
http://tinyurl.com/3tjvzhfa

Applications close: Thursday, 8 February, at 10:00 pm AWST
 
Applicants should note that prior to appointment, any offer of employment is subject to completion of National Police Records checks, and background, integrity, and reference checks to Curtin’s satisfaction. At Curtin, we are committed to being a Child Safe organisation and this position may also require you to have a current Working With Children Check.
 
If you have any queries in relation to this application process, please contact our careers team on 08 9266 9000 (option 3,1), quoting the reference number.

Please note we are not accepting applications from recruitment agencies at this time.