Senior Clinical Research Assistant - Speech Pathology

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 97,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Queensland is seeking a qualified Speech Pathologist for a full-time, fixed-term 9-month position at the Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) – Centre for Living Experience Research (LEX). The base salary ranges from AUD 97,268 to AUD 104,348 plus 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6).

The role is based at the Herston campus with some travel to regional Queensland trial sites. You will join a collaborative team delivering the Conversations About Care trial, supporting data

Qualifications

• Completion of a tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology.
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills; ability to engage with residents, families and staff.
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills; coordinate site visits and travel schedules.
• Demonstrated analytical and research skills; data collection, scoring and analysis.
• Understanding of confidentiality, privacy and information-handling in research ethics.
• Current driver’s licence and willingness to travel regionally, including overnights.
• Clinical experience with older adults with communication disability or research environment experience.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of the Conversations About Care trial across metropolitan and regional aged care services.
• Recruit and consent participants using supported processes that enable informed decisions.
• Conduct research assessments, observations and interviews with residents, families and staff; assist with trial interventions.
• Travel to regional Queensland for data collection; plan site visits, travel and overnight stays (fully funded).
• Maintain accurate, high-quality research records through scoring, data entry and report preparation.
• Build strong relationships with aged care providers, site contacts and staff; represent the project professionally.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Data collection

Analytical thinking

Education

Speech Pathology degree

Job description

Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) – Centre for Living Experience Research (LEX) Full-time, fixed-term position for 9 months (also open to part-time/job share arrangements) Base salary will range from $97,268 - $104,348 + 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6) Based At our Herston campus with some travel to regional Queensland trial sites

About This Opportunity

Join the collaborative team delivering the Conversations About Care trial, a purposeful research project working to improve communication support for older people with communication disability in residential and community aged care. We are seeking a qualified Speech Pathologist to work alongside clinical researchers and aged care partners to support high-quality trial delivery across metropolitan and regional Queensland, helping create meaningful change for older people, families and care communities. This is a rare opportunity to combine clinical expertise with impactful research. Joining an established and successful research team, you will leverage your clinical knowledge to contribute to innovative research that makes a difference. Whether you are seeking a change of pace from frontline clinical work or looking to broaden your career horizons, this role provides a valuable entry point into research and a strong foundation for future career growth.

Key responsibilities

• Support the delivery of the Conversations About Care trial across metropolitan and regional aged care services.
• Recruit and consent participants using supported processes that enable older people with communication disability to make informed decisions, in accordance with Good Clinical Practice and ethical requirements.
• Conduct research assessments, observations and interviews with residents, family members and aged care staff, and assist with the delivery of trial interventions.
• This includes travel to regional Queensland for data collection, including planning and coordinating site visits, travel, and overnight stays (all fully funded).
• Maintain accurate, high-quality research records through scoring, data entry, data checking and report preparation.
• Build strong working relationships with aged care providers, site contacts, and staff, and represent the project professionally.

About You

• Completion of a tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology.
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships, manage research issues sensitively and assertively, and engage with residents, families, aged care staff, and providers.
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to coordinate site visits and travel schedules, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and work independently.
• Demonstrated analytical and research skills, including experience completing high-quality data collection, scoring, data entry and analysis.
• An understanding of confidentiality, privacy and information-handling principles within research ethics and governance requirements.
• A current driver’s licence and willingness to travel to regional Queensland, including overnight stays.
• Clinical experience working with older adults with communication disability, or experience in clinical research environments and qualitative interviewing, would be highly regarded.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available. Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17% super, 17.5% leave loading, flexible and hybrid working options, health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, and salary packaging.

Pre-employment checks

Pre-employment checks will include verification of your right to work in Australia, Speech Pathology Australia membership (or eligibility), a driver’s licence, a criminal history check and evidence of mandatory immunisations as required by participating aged care providers.

We’re dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion

We’re dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criterion but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

Applications close Sunday 1 November at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number: R-69897).