Senior Research Officer

Victorian Government; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 116,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Justice and Community Safety in Victoria is seeking a VPS Grade 5 researcher to lead and coordinate youth justice research and evaluation across state services. Based in Melbourne with regular travel to Youth Justice precincts and other locations, you will review projects and contribute to governance frameworks.

You will develop strategic priorities, manage key government and external partner relationships, and support evidence-informed decision making in policy and service

Qualifications

• Experience managing or coordinating applied research or evaluation projects and translating research into practice in a policy or service delivery context.
• Experience in, or detailed knowledge of, applying research governance principles, including ethical review processes and data management.
• A tertiary qualification in research, evaluation, psychology, health science, criminal justice or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Review and coordinate research and evaluation projects, supporting best practice research governance.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategic research priorities and frameworks.
• Strategically lead the Youth Justice research and evaluation agenda, managing key stakeholder relationships within government and external research partners.

Skills

Applied research

Research governance

Stakeholder management

Policy context

Data management

Education

Tertiary qualification in research/evaluation/psychology/health science/criminal justice

Job description

Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

Reference: DJCS/1951871

At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we’re looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place.

We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you.

The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers

We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?

• Bring your research and evaluation skills and experience to Youth Justice.
• Support the development, review, and implementation of departmental research and evaluation priorities, strategies, and frameworks.
• Play a critical role in strengthening evidence informed decision making across Youth Justice.

Youth Justice is responsible for the statutory supervision of children and young people in contact with the criminal justice system in Victoria. Children and young people who are involved in Youth Justice are either supervised in the community or within custodial services.

The Clinical Oversight and Rehabilitation unit is responsible for driving evidence related, best practice service design and case management intervention statewide for Youth Justice. Comprised of multiple specialist practice areas, including the Disability Advisory Team, Aboriginal Practice Leadership, Multicultural Practice Leadership, Family Violence Practice Team and the Restorative Practice Principal Practitioner, the unit is focussed on maintaining integrity in services through practice improvements, reform implementation and service collaboration.

The Opportunity

• Full time position fixed term until 30 June 2027, based in Melbourne with regular travel to other locations including the Youth Justice Precincts.
• VPS Grade 5 role: $116,413 - $140,849 per year plus superannuation.
• Review and coordinate research and evaluation projects, supporting best practice research governance.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategic research priorities and frameworks.
• Strategically lead the Youth Justice research and evaluation agenda, managing key stakeholder relationships within government and external research partners.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Experience managing or coordinating applied research or evaluation projects and translating research into practice in a policy or service delivery context.
• Experience in, or detailed knowledge of, applying research governance principles, including ethical review processes and data management.
• A tertiary qualification in research, evaluation, psychology, health science, criminal justice or related discipline.

Experience working in Youth Justice or similar complex, high risk environment is also desirable.

To learn more about the type of skills you will need to thrive in this role, please read the position description.

If you have any queries, please contact Liam Shaw on 0429 979 405 or [e-mail]

What's in it for you?

You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria.

There are many advantages in working for the department, including:

• Job stability– position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS).
• A fair salary–enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options.
• Transparent performance framework–approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.
• Generous leave entitlements–provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program support– you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Recruitment Team throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact [e-mail] if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.

For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made

We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways we do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.

We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.

Applications close Thursday 29 October 2026 at 11.59pm