Senior Project Officer, Research and Ethics

• Position: Full time position
• Location: Preston
• Salary: $85,000-$100,000k (based on skill and experience)

The Opportunity

You will be responsible for supporting development of an inaugural research partnership strategy, identifying and fostering research partnerships, supporting development of and managing VACCA’s inaugural Aboriginal-led ethics review mechanism for internal and external research and evaluation projects, conducting and commissioning research activities, and supporting other Research and Evidence Development team functions, including building the evidence base for Aboriginal-led services.

To be considered for this role you must demonstrate:

• A bachelor’s degree in social sciences or related field, plus experience in a research capacity in social sciences or human services
• A higher research degree desirable
• Cultural competence – A commitment to VACCA’s vision and purpose, awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal societies and cultures, an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal people in contemporary Australia and the diversity of circumstances of Aboriginal people.
• Research skills – well developed research skills drawing on a range of approaches and methods
• Specific understanding & experience in Aboriginal/Indigenous approaches to conducting research and evaluations.
• Analytical skills -strong conceptual and analytical capacity in the social sciences and, ideally, as applied to human services
• Research and evaluation ethics management – sound knowledge of research ethics as applied to human services/social sciences, including designing ethically sound projects, preparing ethics applications, and reviewing the ethics of internal and commissioned research, particularly as it relates to vulnerable and Indigenous groups
• Understanding of the Aboriginal child and family sector in Victoria – knowledge of and/or experience in applied research in this specific context