Research Assistant/Project Coordinator

Gdg On Campus | University Of Sydney; Sydney; On-site; AUD 84,000 - 103,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

17% superannuation

Job summary

University of Sydney is seeking a Research Assistant/Project Coordinator to support an NHMRC-funded study evaluating co-designed mobile cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness. The role focuses on protocol development, ethics submissions, field implementation and data management, with two hubs operating in Sydney during forecast hot-weather days.

You will work with the Chief Investigator and team to coordinate research activities, prepare documentation for ethics and approvals,

Qualifications

• Honours degree in exercise physiology or closely related discipline (First Class Honours or equivalent).
• Experience preparing human research ethics applications and research protocols.
• Strong research project-management, organisational and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative data collection and research data management.
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Develop the detailed study protocol for the first summer, including research procedures, SOPs, participant documentation, data-collection tools and a data-management plan.
• Coordinate ethics submissions, governance approvals and amendments with the appropriate pathways.
• Prepare the study for prospective registration and ensure protocol alignment with reporting guidelines.
• Coordinate meetings with investigators, co-design group and partners, monitor timelines and risks.
• Establish secure databases and systems for participant tracking, surveys, interviews and hub data.
• Support recruitment and coordination of research staff for two hubs during summer deployments.
• Provide on-site research coordination during weather-triggered deployments, ensuring consent and data quality.
• Liaise with people with lived experience of homelessness and stakeholders; contribute to reports and manuscripts.

Skills

Research management

Stakeholder engagement

Ethics submissions

Data management

Education

Honours degree in exercise physiology or closely related discipline

Job description

Job Description

• Part-time fixed term contract available
• Be a part of an NHMRC-funded study evaluating co-designed mobile cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness
• Base Salary starting from $ $93,345 + 17% superannuation ( Pro Rata )

About the opportunity

The Sydney School of Health Sciences is a world leader in health science research and education. We collaborate with external partners and engage with real-world problems to anticipate the health issues of tomorrow while overcoming the challenges of today. Our high-impact research is acknowledged and translated into practice and policy nationally and internationally. Our multidisciplinary research themes and centres reflect the strength, diversity and depth of our research.

The University is seeking to employee a Research Assistant/Project Coordinator who will support the establishment and delivery of an NHMRC-funded study evaluating co-designed mobile cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness. The immediate priority will be preparing the study for the 2026–27 summer, when two hubs will operate concurrently at different Sydney locations on forecast hot-weather days.

Working closely with the Chief Investigator and the wider cooling hubs team, the appointee will coordinate the research aspects of the project from protocol development and ethics approval through to field implementation and data management.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Develop the detailed study protocol for the first summer, including research procedures, standard operating procedures, participant documentation, data-collection tools, field manuals and a data-management plan
• Work with the Chief Investigator to determine the most appropriate ethics and governance pathway through the University of Sydney and/or St Vincent's Hospital, and prepare and manage ethics submissions, governance approvals and subsequent amendments
• Prepare the study for prospective registration with ANZCTR and ensure the protocol and documentation align with relevant reporting guidelines and the requirements of high-impact journals
• Coordinate regular meetings with the Chief Investigator, co-design group, research team and operational partners, including monitoring timelines, actions, risks and study readiness
• Establish secure research databases and systems for participant tracking, surveys, interviews, physiological measurements, hub usage, implementation outcomes, costs and deployment records
• Support recruitment, training and coordination of research staff and assist with the research-related operation of two hubs during the summer
• Provide on-site research coordination during weather-triggered deployments, including overseeing consent, data collection, protocol adherence and data quality.
• Liaise respectfully with people with lived experience of homelessness, homelessness and health services, local government partners and other stakeholders
• Contribute to data analysis, reports, conference abstracts and manuscripts, with a focus on producing rigorous findings suitable for publication in leading public health and implementation-science journals.

About you

• An Honours degree in exercise physiology or closely related discipline, with First Class Honours or equivalent evidence of high-level research capability
• Experience preparing human research ethics applications and research protocols
• Strong research project-management, organisational and stakeholder-engagement skills
• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative data collection and research data management
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail
• Ability to work collaboratively in complex community-based research and respond flexibly to weather-triggered fieldwork.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University's obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

This position is designated as involving child-related work. To undertake or remain in this position, you are required to apply for and obtain a Working with Children Check clearance in accordance with the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer.